As You Wish
by R011ingThunder
Summary: When Gray's ship is captured by the Dread Pirate Silver, Lucy ends up engaged to the horrible Prince Laxus. Then, she's kidnapped by three unlikely mercenaries who are being pursued by a Mage in Black. Will true love conquer all? Fighting, revenge, miracles, and True Love. The Princess Bride, Graylu style
1. Prologue

**It's Monday! I did not forget about you guys, I swear. :) IRL has been just a little bit crazy, so it's taken me a while to get back to doing fairy tale rewrites Fairy Tail style. I'm excited to finally get to share my rewrite of _The Princess Bride_ starring Gray as Westley and Lucy as Buttercup. This is one of my favorite movies, so I had a great time casting our FT characters into the story. Of course, as is typical with other Tail as Old as Time stories, I end up throwing in an original subplot or two for kicks. Given that it's such a classic, there's not much I can do to improve upon it; I just hope I haven't destroyed it... :)  
**

**If you've seen the movie, you might recall that the whole thing is a bedtime story that a grandfather reads to entertain his grandson when he's home from school with the flu. In doing research for this story, I ended up reading the novel that the book is based on. Most people say that the book's always better. I don't know that I agree, in this case (partly because the movie was _phenomenal,_ and partly because the book was just plain weird, IMHO). Let's just say that the novel was interesting... Or memorable. I end up paying homage to both in this version.**

**I won't say too much more up here. Bear with me if this first chapter seems kind of weird. (No, the whole thing isn't going to be in over-eager first person.) All will be explained in the ending notes. :)  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

**As You Wish – A fairy tale written by S. Morgernstern and adapted by Lucy Heartfilia**

Dedication

To my mother, Layla Heartfilia. Thank you for teaching me how to love, how to be strong, and for showing me the joy of writing.

To my boyfriend, Gray Fullbuster—my inspiration and the love of my life.

And to all my Fairy Tail friends, for all the adventures we've shared together. And especially the littlest members: Antonia Redfox, Rhett Fernandes, and Diem and Nox Dreyar for all the adventures they'll have.

Preface

Hey there, Sassy Reader!

I am so glad you decided to pick up a copy of my book! It's sort of a funny story how we got to this point. After the success of my last book, the steamy reader self-insert novel, _Fifty Mages: Gray_, I am still continuing this series with installments on other oft-requested Fairy Tail mages. My draft of the sequel _Fifty Mages: Freed_ is in progress! I have to admit, I hit a slump while working on the Freed book. (It's much easier to write about Gray than it is about Freed.) That's why it's taking so long. Aside from the fact that Freed is a challenging person to write about, (hey, he's a complicated guy, okay?), I've been starting to feel a little stuck overall.

I wanted to do something different. Something challenging.

When I was a little girl, my mother used to read to me before bed. She was really the one who cultivated my love of reading and all things literary. I grew up on stories of princesses and dragons, knights and jesters, heroes and fools, and of course, true love and magic.

One of my favorite books was a thick tome covered in blue leather. It was called _Faieries' Tales from Here and There_. Within the musty, yellow pages was what I believed to be a collection of favorite children's stories. I remember many nights pouring over the pages, waiting to hear what happened next. And while I love all the classic tales, the one that stays with me the most is a story called _As You Wish_. I fell in love with the characters and the emotions and, more than that, the art of telling stories. Friendship! Sword fighting! True love! This is actually the story that led me to want to become an author in the first place!

Now, flash forward a few years—okay, okay, maybe more than a few. My best friend's daughter is turning six. So, I thought, how perfect would it be to get her a copy of this book! It would absolutely warm my heart to share this wonderful story with her so that it could become her favorite too! She's at that princess age, so _As You Wish_ would be perfect for her.

I set off on a quest of find a copy of _Faieries' Tales from Here and There_. And let me tell you, that was a challenge! I stopped by my local Quibbles 'n' Quills to purchase a copy, only to find that they didn't carry it. The next three stores I asked at weren't familiar with the title either.

I tried not to be too disappointed. _Faieries' Tales_ was an old book. Obviously, I needed to start checking antique shops. Nothing. I expanded my hunt to thrift stores. Somebody had to have a copy of this thing! Ultimately, I did find an illustrated classics version that had reduced the story to six pages, which wouldn't do at all, as well as a version of the book that had been translated into Isvanian. And as much as I would love to read _The Snow Queen_ (another beloved classic from _Faieries' Tales_) in the original Isvanian (translated into English, and then translated back into Isvanian again), that got me no closer to my goal.

Luckily, I was able to call in some favors. I have a friend over at Blue Pegasus, and he is _connected_. If something exists, he can get his hands on it. He was able to work his connections to get a copy and have it delivered in time for Antonia's birthday.

A couple weeks after, I gave my bestie a call to see how her daughter was enjoying the book.

"What did you think? Did you love it!" I asked.

"So, here's the thing, Lu," said Levy gently. "Antonia didn't actually make it all the way through it."

"What? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, it was sort of… boring," said Levy. "She wasn't really able to sit through it with how dry it was."

Dry? Boring? It hurt to have my childhood favorite described so.

"But the sword fights, and the adventure!" I protested. "And true love!"

"It's a little bit above her reading level," said Levy. "Even when I tried reading it to her, I wasn't able to get past the first few pages. Honestly, I don't even think I could make it through myself. Sorry."

"You?" I asked. "But, Levy…"

"Have you actually _seen_ this book?" asked Levy suddenly.

"Yeah, it was my favorite as a kid."

"Have you looked at it lately?"

"Well, no…"

"Stop by tomorrow afternoon," advised Levy. "You'll see what I'm talking about."

And so, I did.

When Levy handed me _Faieries' Tales_, I could feel the familiar weight in my hands. The worn, buttery-smooth leather and old-book smell overwhelmed me, taking me back to long nights begging my mother for just one more chapter. Reverently, I flipped the book open, admiring the craftmanship and the elaborately gilded pages. (Books from way back when were a work of art, not like the cheap paperback format that you're no doubt reading this one in.)

But when I found it, the start of my beloved _As You Wish_, my heart dropped into my stomach.

"There must be some mistake," I whispered.

"This is what Hibiki dropped off," said Levy. "Is it the wrong book?"

"No… but…"

It was definitely the right book. I remembered the detailed black and white illustrations that accompanied the story. But instead of the rollicking adventure that I remembered, what I held in my hand was not a collection of cherished stories. It was a collection of dissertations on the socio-economic conditions satirized in the form of stories of oral tradition. _As You Wish_ was just some college essay by some kid named S. Morgenstern.

Childhood ruined.

All those years, my mother hadn't been reading to me from this book. She was _telling_ the story. She was the one weaving the tale that captivated my attention and lived in my heart. My memories were of _her_.

"I'm sure it's a really good book," said Levy earnestly. "Maybe when Antonia's a little bit older—"

"No," I said. "This is all wrong."

I took the book home with me, dumping it on the coffee table of my apartment. Then I pretended that it wasn't there.

That night, I couldn't sleep. Around two, I got up, clutching _Fairies' Tales_ to my chest. As I thumbed through the pages again and again, the once-familiar illustrations seemed to sneer, mocking my pain.

I felt like the world had come out from under me. Everything I knew was a lie.

What happened to honor and revenge? Adventure and friendship? What happened to true love?

What happened to our hero and his lady fair, who apparently didn't have names beyond Farm Boy and The Princess? The original story didn't even have an ending!

It ends (spoiler alert, not really) with the hero and his friends on the run from the villain. And then nothing more, just a line that says: Life is Unexpected Sometimes.

I hope you got an A for that one, S. Morgenstern. I would have docked points for that, personally. That's seriously lazy writing.

I'm not sure why I called Gray, but I did.

"Hello…? Lucy, what are you doing up?"

"It's all wrong…"

Gray sighed. "Are you talking about that book again?"

"Yes! It's all wrong. And I don't know what to do with it. And the Farm Boy…" I trailed off. I'm pretty sure I made no sense at that point.

"You're a writer. Why don't you write it yourself?" he mumbled.

"That's it!" I exclaimed. "I can write it myself! Gray, you're a genius!"

"G'night."

I would write it myself. I could salvage my childhood by taking down this beloved childhood classic, preserving it for future generations. And with that I set off to work.

What you're holding in your hands now is a culmination of eleven months of hard work. And yes, during that time I _did_ manage to suffer through Morgenstern's graduate thesis. (Anything for my readers!)

I felt entitled to taking a few creative liberties, such as actually naming the characters. (That sweet girl deserves better than just to be referred to as The Princess. She _is_ a person, you know.) I also fleshed out the scenes a little, took out the boring bits, that sort of thing. Hopefully, what you're holding now is both an accurate retelling of the original fairy tale (in spirit) as well as a better story, tailored to a more modern audience.

This book has sort of been my baby for almost the past year. I hope you have as much fun with _As You Wish_ as I did, as it is truly a labor of love. It is a tale of adventure, sword fighting, friendship and, of course, true love!

Happy reading!

Much love,

Lucy H.

* * *

**Confession: First-person Lucy was surprisingly challenging.**

**The novel version of _Princess Bride_ (which was actually written by one William Goldman... who also adapted the story for the movie) starts with Goldman claiming that this is story is an abridgement ('****the "good parts" version,' as he calls it) of '****S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure'. There's a long preface that tells the elaborate story of why he adapted this story. ****Which is basically what we have here.**

**(BTW, none of it is true. But Goldman's so good at selling ridiculous that a much younger me, when I first fell in love with _Princess Bride_, tried to look for a copy of this mythical unabridged version. I felt pretty silly when I figured it out.)  
**

**At any rate, Goldman proceeds carry this abridgement premise for the rest of the novel, telling the rest of the story with ridiculous running commentary and footnotes throughout. He actually goes as far as to reference a ****deleted romance scene that he wrote for the leads (that you can write the publisher and request) and a fanfic-style sequel that he's trying to get published. It's realistic to the point that lots of people have actually written to the publisher. In response, you get a really cheeky form letter reply from Goldman about the publisher and the fictional S. Morgenstern's estate blocking it because of copyright claims. (Obviously, since Morgenstern isn't real, all of this is fiction.) If you google "Princess Bride reunion scene letter" you can find a copy of it. It's a good chuckle.  
**

**This approach is the kind of thing that you either love because it's so irreverent or you hate because it's annoying and he just doesn't quit. But that was one of the things that made the novel so unique as a piece of writing. ****I'm no William Goldman (and my narrative voice isn't nearly as incredible as his), but I felt like I had to play with this technique to do a proper rewrite. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter, which I'm posting today as a bonus.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, we get into the actual story: **_"Yes, Milady. As you wish." And off he'd go to fetch water from the well. Though he never said anything more than those few words._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. Servant Boy

**You guys get a bonus chapter this week, since I wasn't going to leave it at the prologue. Keep in mind that Author-Lucy breaks in with running commentary in square brackets.  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…

[Why do stories always start like that? All the characters talk and act like they're from the same place as the author, so they can't be that far away.]

…there was a poor farm boy named Gray. He didn't grow up on the farm and he certainly didn't own it. Instead he was only a servant. He worked for a young woman named Lucy.

Though Lucy was only a common girl, herself, she was kind-hearted and loyal and very pretty, as all fairy tale heroines are apt to be. All the village boys fawned over her because of her beauty.

Though her mother had been a commoner, Lucy's father had been well-to-do. As the youngest of three brothers, he had inherited only a title and a medium-sized tract of land. On that land, he started a farm, on which he raised a successful crop of turnips. With that crop, he had earned his fortune and became known as the Turnip Lord.

When her parents passed, Lucy inherited the farm and the turnip business along with it. She was left with nothing but a bounty of root vegetables, some farm animals and only Gray for company. Of course, that was fine with her. She liked turnips (having grown up with them), and she liked—well, Gray was all right too. (Just all right, though.)

Every morning, Lucy would get up and yell for him the moment her eyes opened and her feet touched the floorboards.

"Servant, where's my coffee?" called Lucy, for that was what she called him. Always just Servant. That was what he was to her.

"Yes, Milady," said Gray, for that was what he called her. Never Lady Lucy or even just Lucy. Always Milady.

"Servant, saddle my horse," Lucy said at breakfast each morning.

"Yes, Milady. As you wish." Gray would soon return with her chestnut mare saddled and groomed, so Lucy could ride out and begin tending to her farmland.

While she was away, Gray would, presumably, do his own chores and perform menial tasks around the house. Her servant was never idle and there was always firewood, the animals were always fed, and the farmhouse was typically in good repair. Lucy never gave it too much thought, though she would likely have come to the correct conclusion if she had tried.

When she returned from the turnip fields, she'd bring her mare back to the stable.

"Servant, where are you?"

"Yes, Milady?" said Gray. He always seemed to know when she had come home.

"Servant, bring me a pail of water. I'd like a hot bath."

"Yes, Milady. As you wish." And off he'd go to fetch water from the well. Though he never said anything more than those few words.

Lucy couldn't understand why.

Did he not want to talk to her? Was she not attractive enough? Did he resent working for someone so close to his age? Or did the whole turnip thing bother him?

After a while, Lucy came to the conclusion that Gray was just very stupid. Or very quiet. Or possibly foreign. But probably just very stupid. Those were likely the only two words he knew. It wasn't his fault for not talking to her.

So, Lucy resigned herself to the fact that her servant was hardly better than a dumb brute, though she enjoyed his company anyways.

"Servant, come sit with me," said Lucy.

Gray looked at her curiously, but he nodded. "Yes, Milady. As you wish."

"Servant, bring me that book. I think I'll read aloud for us tonight."

"Yes, Milady," said Gray, smiling softly.

"This one's a love story, but it's very sad. It's one of my favorites. I think you'll like it," said Lucy. "_There never was a tale of more woe than that of Juliet and her Romeo…"_

And so, the days passed for the two of them.

Until one day, a carriage pulled up in front of the house. Lucy had been out in the field, but she rode back to see what the commotion was about.

Just as she arrived, the carriage door opened, and a woman stepped out.

Lucy felt a tug of jealousy. This woman was more beautiful than any other she had seen before, with porcelain skin and hair like a raven's wing. From on atop her horse, sweaty and flushed, Lucy felt so very inferior next to this cool beauty.

"Be quick about it, Ultear," came a man's voice from inside the carriage. "He'll find her soon. We need to be out of here before we're discovered."

"Don't fuss," Ultear said. "_He_ wouldn't be able to recognize subterfuge, if it bit him on the nose."

"Are you sure about that?" asked the man. "Your boyfriend is a bright one, or do you doubt his skill?"

"_Ex_-boyfriend. And by the time he notices, we'll be halfway to Crocus."

"Hey, did you need something?" called Lucy.

"Oh, yes, dear," said Ultear. "My fiancé and I—Oh, my," purred the woman. "Who is this?"

Lucy glanced in the direction that Ultear was looking. Gray was there. He was splitting wood.

Correction.

Gray was there. He was shirtless. And he was splitting wood.

Jealousy gnawed at Lucy's stomach. The other woman looked Gray up and down, eyes lingering on the planes of his bare chest.

"_That_ would be my servant," hissed Lucy.

"Is that so?" asked Ultear, her eyes darkening with desire.

Lucy ground her teeth. The nerve of her! Gray was _her_ servant.

Besides, what was there to even look at? It was just Gray.

Lucy glanced over, her face heating up as she took in the view.

Okay, so Gray was attractive. So what? She knew that. Didn't she? He split logs and worked in the field shirtless all the time. This was nothing she hadn't seen before.

For now, she'd get him out of the line of sight and _away from this Ultear person_.

"Servant, inside," Lucy called.

Gray stopped mid-swing, hatchet above his head, muscles taut. He looked at her curiously before shrugging. "Yes, Milady," he said, putting down the hatchet, picking up his discarded shirt and heading for the house. "As you wish."

She'd address the matter with him later.

"You're the mistress of this… estate?" asked Ultear.

Lucy gave a curt nod. "What brings you here?" she asked, forcing herself to be reasonably polite.

"We're just looking for directions," said Ultear with a sharp smile.

Lucy obliged by providing the woman and her poor fiancé with the directions they required before bidding them good day (and good riddance!).

Lucy put her own horse away instead of calling for Gray.

The encounter with that woman bothered her. Why was she? Where were they going? Why were they here? Who were they running from? While she had her questions, her curiosity paled in comparison to the irritation she felt when it came to Gray.

Ultear had no right to look at him like that. What bothered her even more was that Gray didn't seem to mind being ogled. There he was, splitting wood, like nothing was wrong.

In her mind's eye, an imaginary Ultear stared at Gray.

With a huff, Lucy went back inside, already planning the lecture she'd give. She'd tell him to keep his clothes on when there were other women present. She would _not_ have him indecent in public.

[As much as the Gray fans would enjoy it. I, however, would not be above selling tickets. Email me at LucyH-at-MagnoliaPublishing-dot-com.]

But that night, what she said instead was:

"Servant. Dinner."

"Yes, Milady."

Ultear stared at Gray.

And after:

"Servant, dishes."

"Yes, Milady. As you wish."

Ultear stared at Gray.

And after that, Lucy went to bed, shutting her eyes and trying to sleep. Ultear stared at Gray. Lucy rolled over, tugging her pillow over her head. Ultear stared at Gray.

Hours later, Lucy gazed up at the ceiling.

Ultear stared at Gray.

Frustration twisted at Lucy's chest. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was that woman! Why did the Ultear's appearance bother her so? It wasn't like she had done anything. Technically, she didn't even speak to Gray. She was just looking.

Ultear stared at Gray.

But why didn't he seem he bothered by that? Did he like getting stared at? Did he like women like Ultear? Nice, rich women with perfect porcelain skin who didn't have to work in the turnip fields because their parents left them something other than a turnip farm? Did he want to kiss her?

Lucy blinked in surprise.

She wasn't sure where the idea had come from, but now that it had entered her head, she wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it. Now, every time she closed her eyes, instead of seeing Ultear stare at Gray, she'd see Ultear kissing him! In the yard, by the stables, in the kitchen, and in every other place her imagination could fathom.

Lucy gave a shout of frustration, bolting out of bed. She padded to the window and perched on the window seat, hugging her knees to her chest. Why was this so difficult?

Lucy heard movement in the hall, the footfalls all too familiar.

"Servant, is that you?"

"Yes, Milady."

Maybe seeing real Gray would drive the imagined one out of her head

"Come inside. It's not locked."

"Yes, Milady. As you wish."

Slowly, Gray pushed the door open with one hand, a candle held in his other. He, too, was dressed for bed, the top buttons of his night shirt undone, revealing the planes of the pale chest that had been the cause of this whole mess.

Lucy could feel a lump of emotion rise in her throat, though she couldn't explain it.

He observed her silently, his expression softening into one of concern. He stepped in front of her tentatively, awaiting further instruction.

"Servant. Sit with me," she commanded, her voice quivering.

"Yes, Milady. As you wish."

"Hold me," she whispered.

"Yes, Milady."

Gray's arms tightened around her as he pulled her close. He didn't say a word, even as she laid her head against his shoulder.

But she already knew that he wouldn't have. He was a big, dumb brute, no different from her horse. He didn't know any better. He didn't mean to upset her. It was silly to get angry over something like this.

"Servant…" sighed Lucy, shaking her head. That was what he was. Wasn't he? It didn't matter if he was the one that had been by her side for all these years. It didn't matter if she wanted more. Gray was her servant and that was all he was.

"It's Gray," he said.

"What did you say?" Lucy sat up, watching him curiously.

"My name. It's Gray," he said. "You can use it, if you want."

Lucy blinked. "You _can _speak."

"Can't everyone?" asked Gray, a small smile crossing his features.

"W-why didn't you ever say anything?" asked Lucy. Had she really lived with another human being for years and never had a single conversation with him?

[Reference page 87 of What Not to Do When You Have A Housemate.]

"You never asked," said Gray.

"I didn't, did I?" said Lucy.

Charming and witty. How had she never noticed?

Lucy shook her head. "All this time, I… I thought you were…"

Gray snickered as she sputtered. "Stupid?" he supplied.

Maybe he wasn't _that_ charming.

"How did you know?" she demanded.

"You're not that subtle," said Gray. "I can see it in your eyes."

Lucy winced. "Sorry… But how could you stand that?" asked Lucy, shaking her head. "Having me order you around like that?"

"It's my job…?" said Gray.

"Oh…" Lucy couldn't help but feel disappointed, though she wasn't sure what she was expecting.

"That's how it started, at least," said Gray. "I mean, your dad was pretty generous, y'know. Plus, working here gave me something to do and a place to stay. Not much to complain about. Except for one thing."

"What was that?" asked Lucy curiously.

"There was this girl," said Gray.

"Really?"

Gray nodded. "Mm-hmm. Yeah, this bossy blonde who kept ordering me around like she owned the place. Ugh, I hated that. She never seemed to figure out that I worked for her dad, not _her_."

Lucy winced. She wasn't that big of a brat, was she? "But, Gray, why didn't you ever say anything?" she asked.

"Because, one day, I did work for her. After her dad died, she was left with a whole big farm, all to herself. I felt a little bad for her. I sort of felt like I needed to help, you know? I got to know her a little bit better, and it turned out that she wasn't all that bad."

"Well, that's a relief," said Lucy.

"But there's more to the story," said Gray. "See, this girl… turned out that she was pretty great. And I sort of… ended up being into her. Like, romantically," added Gray.

Romantically? Then he… he _liked_ her?! All Lucy could do was nod dumbly, too surprised to respond further.

"I realized that I couldn't deny her anything," said Gray. "That I'd do anything for her, even if it wasn't my job. That I never wanted to be apart from her."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" she said again, giving him an accusing glare. It wasn't quite what she had wanted to say to him, but it was a fair question.

"What was I supposed to say, Lucy?" Gray asked, turning his palms up in protest. "After years of living in the same roof, but not talking? It was so much easier and less awkward to just keep going and _not _talk about it."

Her name sounded so delicious as it rolled off his tongue. But that was no excuse for him to spring this on her! Though she couldn't deny that she like the idea.

"Then why are you bringing it up now?" she asked. "Like _this_ isn't awkward or anything."

"After today, it seemed pretty clear that I had a shot. You do like me, right?"

Did she?

"I guess." It would certainly explain why she had felt so defensive when Ultear had appeared. "Actually, I… Gray, I think I might be in love with you," mumbled Lucy. "I think I have been for a while."

The very idea was dizzying. But for the first time since that afternoon, since Ultear, Lucy felt like she could breathe again.

"It's about time," said Gray, grinning. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to…" He broke off, shaking his head.

"What?" she asked.

"This."

He leaned in slowly, his fingers grazing her cheek. Lucy shut her eyes, butterflies of anticipation coursed through her.

Gray's lips were soft as they brushed against hers. Feeling his sincerity and warmth, Lucy couldn't help but smile.

This was the boy who had stood by her side for all these years. Her servant. Her Gray. And now he was even more.

Too soon, he pulled back.

"How was that?" he asked.

Lucy smiled. "Less talking, more kissing," she said.

She could feel the rumble of laughter in his chest. "Yes, Milady. As you wish."

This time, Lucy closed the gap between them as she claimed his lips as her own.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked that. I never gave it much thought before I wrote this, but... why on earth would two people live together with no other words exchanged other than: "Farm boy, go here. Farm boy, do that." and "As you wish." The movie goes through all of this in the first two minutes. And I think we, by and large, just suspend disbelief. Hopefully you like my attempt at making this seem reasonable.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, Gray leaves to seek his fortune: **_"See, there's a ship leaving port tomorrow, headed for Bosco," said Gray. "I figure, I can leave, train my skills, build up a proper reputation, and come back to you as a successful artisan."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Gray's Departure

**It's Monday! Here's the next chapter. We're still in slowed-way-down mode, where we're giving time to some of the events that were summarized in the movie.  
**

**Remember that Lucy makes comments in square brackets. :)**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Gray had long awaited the day when Lucy would acknowledge him.

The days that followed were happy ones for the pair, filled with laughter and love and companionship.

Gray would wake up in the morning, and make coffee, pouring a cup for himself and one for Lucy before her feet would touch the floorboards.

They'd eat breakfast together and then he'd saddle her horse. She'd ride off into the turnip fields and he'd do chores around the farm.

It was very similar to the way they were before, except for all the 'I love you's.' They'd have breakfast. I love you. And Lucy's horse. I love you. And after that. I love you.

All things considered, Gray couldn't have been more content. That was, until one day he noticed Lucy making a sour face on her way to the turnip fields.

"Turnips again," she sighed, looking for all the world, as if she had tasted something unpleasant.

"What's wrong with turnips?" asked Gray.

"I wish my dad hadn't been a turnip farmer. It would have been better if he was a king or something. Then I would have been a princess. Then I wouldn't have to do this."

"I thought you liked turnips?" said Gray.

"I like you more," complained Lucy.

"That's good to know," quipped Gray, as he handed the reins up to her.

"I love you," said Lucy.

"I love you," said Gray.

And he meant it. But his mind was elsewhere.

What could he do to rid Lucy of her turnip problem? If she really wasn't into turnips, there had to be some way to free her of that curse. He thought about it that afternoon and that evening. He even thought about it that night. And the night after that, and the night after that.

He ate little and slept even less. All the while, he whittled, expending his manic energy on scrap bits of wood. He didn't whittle while he worked, though he definitely considered it. No, he whittled during the day, and between chores and during those long, sleepless nights.

After about a week, he finally hit upon a solution.

"I think we can do better than turnips," said Gray one morning, as he set Lucy's breakfast down before her.

"Better than turnips?" asked Lucy. "How can we do better than turnips? There's turnip pie and turnip cake and turnip turnovers. Turnip stew. Turnip tacos. The turnip industry's booming right now."

"Yes, but that's been done before," said Gray. "I was thinking about doing something different."

"Turnip bread?" suggested Lucy.

"Not quite," said Gray.

"Turnip mash?"

Gray shook his head.

"Turnip pudding?"

[Gross!]

"Sweet or savory?" Gray started to ask.

[Double gross! Seriously, Gray? Guys will eat anything…]

Gray cut himself off. "Doesn't matter. That's not it," he said.

"What then?"

Gray sighed, making a face. "I think… it might be time for me to head out to seek my fortune," said Gray slowly.

"What? But why?" asked Lucy.

"Because, I think we can do so much better than turnips," said Gray.

"Aren't you happy here?" asked Lucy.

"Oh, it's not that at all, Lucy," said Gray. "Of course, I'm happy. Why do you think I shovel out your stable for you? It's not because I particularly like horses or shoveling."

"I don't understand…" said Lucy.

"I had a feeling you might not. Maybe I should show you," he said. Gray reached into his pocket and set down a small, wooden trinket on a metal chain. The outcome of all his whittling. "That's for you," he said.

Lucy picked up the locket, for that was what it was, turning it over in her hands, marveling at the craftsmanship.

"Where did you get this?" asked Lucy. "It's pretty."

"I made it."

"You made it?" asked Lucy, her eyes widened in admiration.

Gray swelled with pride. "Carved it, technically. Well, I bought the chain, but…"

"You're an artist…" said Lucy softly. She ran a finger over the detailed engravings that decorated the surface. "Put it on for me?" she asked, pulling her hair out of way.

"Artist? I guess you could call it that," said Gray, taking the necklace and reaching behind her to fasten it around her neck. He managed the clasp on the first try. "I've just always been good with my hands."

"It's beautiful," said Lucy. She brushed her hair back into place, and reached up to play with the pendant, running her thumb over the polished wood. "But I don't understand what this has to do with turnips."

"Well, it doesn't. Not exactly. See, I'm pretty good with wood. I'm okay with stone. I'm wondering how I'd be with glass or metal or clay or some other type of medium. And what if I put them together? I think I could get something really unique then," said Gray. "It'd be the sort of thing that people would come from all over the kingdom for. I think it would be worth a pretty penny once I had made a name for myself."

"Are you thinking jewelry? Or sculptures? Or furniture?"

"Yes," said Gray. "Any of it. All of it. I actually don't know yet. We'll have to see."

"Okay, I could see that," said Lucy.

"But I don't know how to do glass or metal yet, and I'm not that great at stone. And I don't have a name for myself, so no one's coming from anywhere."

"No, I get that it's a problem. Just what are you going to do about it?" asked Lucy.

"I'm off to seek my fortune," explained Gray.

"And that's where I don't get it," said Lucy.

"See, there's a ship leaving port tomorrow, headed for Bosco," said Gray. "I figure, I can leave, train my skills, build up a proper reputation, and come back to you as a successful artisan. Then I can make swords and baubles and furniture and whatever else. We'd be rich, and you'd live like a princess, and you'll never have to pull another turnip again."

"That does sound nice," said Lucy.

[All except for the part where he gets on that ship, that is!]

"But then, you'll have to leave?" asked Lucy.

"Well, realistically, yeah. But that's only a small part of the plan," said Gray. "Think about all the other parts."

"I guess…"

"So? What do you think? Should I go?"

"Okay."

* * *

The ship's name was the_ Juliet_, and she was scheduled to set sail at noon the next day. Gray packed his bags and Lucy put on a brave face.

Their parting was a tearful one, as neither of them knew exactly when they'd see each other again.

"I will find my way back to you. No matter what," said Gray.

"Promise?"

"No force on heaven or earth could stop me. Want to know why?"

"Why?" asked Lucy.

"Because, this… this is true love. It's unstoppable," said Gray. "And I'm unstoppable when I'm with you."

"Oh, Gray," sighed Lucy, melting against him. "I'll never love anybody else, only you."

"Wait for me, then," said Gray. "It may take a long time. Maybe even years, but I will find my way back to you. I swear it."

"I'll be thinking about you every day until you do," said Lucy.

"I love you," whispered Gray.

"And I love you," said Lucy.

"I think I might love you more," said Gray, grinning. He tangled his hand in the strands of Lucy's fair hair.

Lucy smiled, rising on her toes. "Less talking, more kissing."

"As you wish."

Their lips met as Gray kissed his beloved goodbye. He had all the motivation he needed to accomplish his goal, since he knew that he had Lucy waiting for him.

* * *

And Lucy did wait. She waited and waited and waited. Every morning, she'd open her eyes and think of Gray before her feet touched the floorboards.

She'd pour two cups of coffee, even though she would only drink one. And when she was finished with the farm, she'd head into town to consult the harbor schedule to see if the_ Juliet_ was set to return that day.

Every day she did this, back and forth like clockwork. Until that fateful day.

Lucy had just gotten to town when she heard the whisperings.

The _Juliet_. Attacked. No survivors.

Lucy thought her heart would stop. Surely there must be some mistake! She had to have misheard. No more rumors and gossip. She couldn't trust that. She had to get her information straight from the source.

At the corner of Drury and Clover, Lucy caught up with a paperboy in a smart cap.

"What's all this?" she demanded. "About the_ Juliet_?"

"The_ Juliet's_ been attacked by pirates, Miss," said the boy.

"Pirates," repeated Lucy, starting to feel dizzy.

"That's right. And not just any pirates. The dread pirate Captain Silver on his ship, the_ Absolute Zero_," said the boy, his eyes wide and excited.

Lucy had heard of the feared pirate captain with ice powers that would make even the fiercest of people shiver. They said that his ship was as black as his heart.

"You know why they call his ship that, right? Because Silver leaves no survivors. Zero. And once you see his icy sails on the horizon, your chances of survival? _Absolute Zero_."

"No," whispered Lucy. She shook her head. It couldn't be. "You're lying."

"Why would I do something like that?" asked the boy, frowning.

"To sell more newspapers. I don't know," said Lucy.

"Believe it or not. It makes no difference to me." The boy gave an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, Miss."

No survivors. _Absolute Zero_.

Gray…

He wasn't coming home…

Lucy's legs folded under her as she fell to her knees and wept, right in the middle of the street.

* * *

**Poor Lucy!**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, we learn how Lucy winds up as the Prince's bride in the first place: **_"You'd choose death over a life as a princess?" asked Laxus. "I could make you the most powerful woman on earth."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	4. The Prince

**It's Monday! This week: the chapter you never knew you needed! (Kidding, lol.)  
**

**Princess Bride, the novel, begins with a chapter about Buttercup and Westley on the farm (the previous two chapters in _As You Wish_). Then he's got a mini chapter on Prince Humperdink, entitled "The Groom". If Wikipedia is to be believed (not sure where they sourced this bit of trivia), then this is where the author got his inspiration for the abridgement premise. Humperdink isn't interesting, and he wasn't able to come up with much to say, so he threw a couple of pages together, made a snarky quip or two and called it done, so he could move on to something more interesting**

**Backstory for Humperdink (or Prince Laxus, in this case) isn't a bad idea. He may not be the most interesting person, but some of those around him have a bit of a story... So here's an aside so we know who we're dealing with.**

**Guest: Ha-ha! Looks like you picked up on my old-timey narrator character voice. It's a little pretentious, but so much fun once you get into it. :) If you haven't seen the film, you're probably the best person to tell me if this story stands alone okay or if it's confusing. But at some point, I would definitely recommend putting this movie on your bucket list. Recently, there was a director that had proposed doing a reboot of it (it came out in the late 80s, so it's more than 30 years old at this point), and the reaction was an overwhelming no! It's such an amazing movie (and it's aged well, IMHO), that people are afraid of it being messed up and done badly. Anyways, that's enough fangirling from me, lol. Thanks for stopping by! :)  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The weeks passed. Lucy remained on the turnip farm.

She'd wake up in the morning, and Gray wasn't there. She knew that, even before she opened her eyes and before her feet would touch the floorboards.

She'd go down and make her own coffee, and Gray wouldn't be there. She'd saddle her own horse, because…

[Sorry, Book Theorists: Gray's still dead.]

…Gray wasn't there.

Lucy tried to behave as normal, but what was the point? Gray wasn't there. But she needed money to live and money came from selling turnips. So, she'd ride out into the turnip fields, like she did every day. Then she'd come back, tired and sore. Gray still wouldn't be there. Instead, what was there was a horrible, empty, ache in her chest.

What was the point?

When it was time for dinner, she'd still set out two plates, even though Gray wasn't there.

Dinner was quiet. The bread was too dry, and the stew was too salty, and the vegetables tasted off, and Gray wasn't there. Lucy's stomach turned. She didn't have an appetite. She cleared away her dinner plates, scraping away the unpalatable vittles.

"I think I'll read aloud for us tonight," she whispered, picking up her favorite book. "This one's a love story, but it's very sad. About two people who were very much in love. But it just wasn't meant to be," said Lucy, her voice quivering. "_There never was a tale of more woe than that of Juliet and her Romeo…"_

The book slipped from her fingers, falling open on the floor.

Lucy cried, burying her face in her hands. "I wish I never complained about the turnips," she sobbed. "Then you might still be here."

* * *

Prince Laxus of Fiore was still unwed, despite his good looks.

[Shocker. Pun intended.]

"Sire, please, please," begged his head steward, Freed. "For the good of the kingdom. You really should start thinking about marriage."

"I already know the woman I want to marry," Prince Laxus declared.

"Whom? Where?" asked Freed. "When?"

"Well, we've never met, but I know _of_ her," said Laxus.

"Who is this mystery woman?" asked Freed. "Tell me, Sire," he begged.

"The princess of the most powerful kingdom in the world. Minerva of Sabertooth," Laxus said, his expression growing reverent.

Minerva was an exotic beauty with dark hair and emerald eyes and golden skin. The fact that she came from the most powerful kingdom in the world certainly didn't hurt. But what Laxus appreciated the most was that there was something sharp about her smile. Something bold, hungry, _ambitious_.

"Sabertooth?" echoed Freed. "But, my liege. Fiore and Sabertooth have _never_…" He sputtered to a halt when Laxus shot him a sharp look. "But you can't—"

"Don't presume to tell me what I can and can't do," thundered the prince. "I will have Minerva as my bride, if it's the last thing I do. I just have to find a way."

"If I may, Sire," interrupted an oily voice.

"Jellal, what are you doing over there? Don't you have work to do?"

Jellal was the prince's Head of Espionage. He knew everything about everyone, and Laxus was beginning to suspect that he knew why.

"Forgive me. I couldn't help but overhear," said Jellal, stepping into the throne room. "The best way to gain the attention of Sabertooth's princess is to hold a ball. You could meet her and make it seem like an accident."

"Since when do you have an interest in affairs of state?" asked Laxus, crossing his arms.

"Since it concerns _the well-being_ of our state," said Jellal. "I make it my business to know what goes on here and outside."

"You're suggesting that we have a ball?" asked Freed.

"Invite all the eligible maidens from the kingdom and the lands beyond," suggested Jellal. "Princess Minerva will have to come. Then you can meet her."

"See, this is why I like you," said Laxus, nodding. "A ball… Well, Freed. It seems you'll be busy. Make it happen, and make it happen soon."

* * *

The night of the ball was upon them soon enough.

Jellal smiled to himself from his place between the shadows. This would be a night to remember.

"Look, it's Princess Jenny from Worthwood," Freed was saying. "And over there: Lady Corona. There are plenty of respectable ladies here, my liege. Surely, one of them—_any_ of them—would be better than someone from—"

"That's her," said Laxus, rising to his feet.

"Who?" asked Freed.

"Over there. Dark hair."

Freed looked, surprise on his normally blank countenance.

"Minerva," breathed Laxus. Like a man in a trance, he approached her. He extended his hand in invitation, and they danced. And they danced. And they danced.

And Jellal watched it all from his vantage point over the entire situation.

"Is it time yet?" hissed a muffled voice.

Jellal had left his deputy hiding behind one of the curtains.

"Patience, my apprentice. Patience," he reminded. "The longer it takes, the better it'll be for us."

"At this rate, they'll dance the whole night away."

"If I had known that he preferred dark haired women, I would have sent you in," said Jellal. "It would have saved us a lot of trouble."

"It's not too late for that," his deputy asked. "Who says I can't start now?"

"Ooh, you are cruel," he quipped.

"I learned it from the best, my love," his deputy responded. "It was you, who taught me, after all."

"You're sure you can trust her man to do as we planned?" he asked. "He is still an agent of Sabertooth, after all."

"He's a _man_. Of course, I'm sure," his deputy huffed. "This is what I do best."

* * *

Jellal waited until Laxus had taken to the gardens with his new lady friend before giving the order. An arrow whizzed toward the young lovers. Laxus pushed Minerva out of the way, just barely dodging the lethal projectile himself.

"What—" she started.

"We're being attacked," said Laxus. "Get behind me." He looked around for the intruder as he shielded his companion with his body.

As predicted, the prince's personal steward was the first to respond.

"Get away from her, sire!" shouted Freed, sprinting toward them.

"What are you talking about? What's happening?" demanded Laxus.

"That woman just tried to kill you." Freed pointed an accusing finger at the foreign princess.

"You're being ridiculous," said Laxus, though he released her, putting some distance between them.

Freed retrieved the arrow from where it had landed. "Look at the fletching," he said, pointing at the feathered ends. "That color. It's only used by the elite royal guard of Sabertooth. _Her_ people shot the arrow. Of course, what else can be expected from Sabertooth?"

Laxus' face twisted in anger. He spun to face the lady. "What is the meaning of this?" he growled.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Minerva. "Yes, that's one of our arrows. So what?" she asked. Then she gasped. "Surely, you don't think—"

"Admit it," said Freed. "You ordered your men to try to assassinate our Prince."

"I gave no such order! Our laws are strict, but we're not barbarians. _That_ is not how we kill people."

[Really? So how do you kill people, huh, Minerva? Not exactly helping your innocence, girl.]

"So, you admit to it," insisted Freed.

"What? No! Laxus…" she pleaded. "You can't believe this."

Perfect. This was Jellal's cue to enter.

"I took the liberty of searching your coach, Princess," interjected Jellal. "I found the stash of weapons that you were hiding. Enough to arm a small militia."

"You searched my things?" spat Minerva indignantly.

"My men have dealt with the assassins. Two of them. Both were _her_ guards," reported Jellal. He smiled to himself as Laxus turned on his new lover.

"You came armed?" retorted Laxus. "This is a party, not a standoff."

"I came armed because I don't trust you," snapped Minerva. "It seems my instincts weren't incorrect."

"Throw the Sabertooth filth in the dungeons," said Freed.

"At once," said Jellal, catching hold of Minerva's shoulders, keeping his grip loose.

"How dare you! You can't do that. I have diplomatic immunity!" she shrieked.

Jellal bent near her ear. "Run," he whispered. "I won't stop you."

Her eyes widened. Minerva jerked out of Jellal's grasp, escaping as he'd intended for her to. Just as the clock struck twelve, the princess of Sabertooth fled Fiore Castle.

"After her!" shouted Freed. "What are you waiting for?"

"Diplomatic immunity," shrugged Jellal. He didn't care if Minerva escaped or not. His only goal was to drive a wedge between the two kingdoms. There was a war to be had, and he'd help it along.

* * *

"It seems war is inevitable," said Jellal.

"No," said Laxus.

"Sabertooth attempted to assassinate our prince. That's a serious transgression," Freed reminded him.

"Maybe so," said Laxus. "But I can't have people knowing about what happened the other night! We'll have to cover it up."

"Sabertooth's aggression is an act of war," Jellal reminded him. "We need to strike back with full force."

"Not right away," said Laxus. "We don't have the power to win a war. Not yet, at least. In the meantime, we have more pressing matters to deal with."

Laxus tossed something at Freed, who struggled to catch it.

"What's this?" asked Freed.

"What does it look like?" asked Laxus.

"It's a shoe," said Freed.

"Yeah. It's _hers_. Find a plausible reason why she disappeared," said Laxus.

Freed shook his head in confusion. "Why?"

"After last night, the people will expect an engagement. I can't have everyone knowing that the girl I spent the evening with up and left me. I'd be the laughingstock of the kingdom!" snarled Laxus.

"Sire, the woman tried to have you murdered. Surely that is reason enough for an annulment," sighed Freed. "Or at least for you to have second thoughts."

"No." The prince scowled. "Absolutely not. Look, I don't care what you have to do. Make something up, if you have to."

"Let me get this straight. You want me to concoct a fairy story about a vanishing maiden and a lost shoe because… what?" asked Freed.

"I thought _you_ wanted to kill her," Jellal reminded him.

"That's beside the point."

"What is there that I can even say about a shoe?" said Freed.

"Obviously, the maiden who fits the shoe must be the one who the prince danced with," shrugged Jellal. "It couldn't be any simpler."

"If the shoe fits…" muttered Laxus. "Fine! Make it so, Freed."

"But, my liege…"

"What is it?"

"Wouldn't there be more than one girl who might fit the shoe? They only make them in so many sizes…" protested Freed.

"Obviously, the prince wants the _first_ one you find," explained Jellal impatiently.

"Obviously," said Laxus. "I want a girl here by the end of the week. I don't care who she is or where she's from. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my liege. Understood."

* * *

So, the entire kingdom was notified. The prince was on a hunt for the mysterious woman who had stolen his heart and left only a slipper as her calling card.

The royal carriage went from house to house, across the countryside. Women, young and old, all lined up for a chance at the hand of their prince. But to no avail.

"And here, you thought we'd find multiple girls with the same shoe size," mocked Laxus.

"Forgive me," said Freed, bowing his head. "I was too presumptuous."

Finally, the royal carriage pulled up to a farmhouse in the province of Magnolia.

"What's this?" asked Laxus.

"This is the home of the late Turnip Lord," said Freed. "Only his daughter lives here now."

"A nobleman?" asked Laxus.

"A farmer," corrected Freed. "Albeit, one who made his fortune."

Laxus scowled. "You mean, she's a simple country girl?"

"Might I remind you that you said you didn't care who she was or where she's from," said Jellal.

Laxus tilted his head in concession.

The royal entourage exited the carriage, coughing as they waved at the dust they had stirred up. A young woman on horseback approached. She was all dressed in black.

"Are you Miss Lucy of Magnolia?"

"Yes. Who are you?" she asked.

"By royal decree, Miss Lucy, will you try on this shoe?"

"I don't understand," she said. "Who are you?"

"News must not travel very fast in these parts," interjected Laxus. "I'm the prince."

* * *

Lucy blinked in surprise.

"Oh," said Lucy. "And you're here, why?" He obviously couldn't be the actual prince. What would the actual prince be doing here, on her farm?

"Prince Laxus is searching for his missing bride," interjected one of the men who had arrived with them. He had a tattoo decorating his right eye. And his voice seemed familiar. Had she met him somewhere before?

Lucy shrugged. It wasn't like it really mattered. If he wanted to insist that he was the prince, that was fine by her.

"What does that have to do with me?" she asked dully. She didn't have the energy to entertain these lunatics. Couldn't they just go back to where they came from?

The other attendant bent to tug Lucy's shoes off, not even waiting for her to get off her horse. Gently, he held up the embellished slipper that had, no doubt, seen the feet of hundreds of women.

The shoe slipped on.

"A perfect fit!" he gasped. "Oh, sire!"

[Wisdom from a fortune cookie: "Beware men with cute shoes." Or something like that. I'm pretty sure it lost its meaning after a few times through Scroople Translate. And our lucky number is x777.]

Laxus grinned. "It seems destiny has brought us together again."

"You're crazy!" said Lucy. "What do you mean _again_?"

"You are clearly the young woman the prince danced with at his ball," explained the attendant.

"But wait. I'm not—"

"It doesn't matter. You are my new bride," insisted Laxus, taking her hands. "You're perfect."

"Forget it," snorted Lucy. "Your Highness."

"Marry me."

"Never."

"I'll make you a princess," said Laxus.

Though she would have once been giddy, Lucy felt no excitement at the idea.

"I'd sooner die," she said.

"You'd choose death over a life as a princess?" asked Laxus. "I could make you the most powerful woman on earth."

All the money and power in the world didn't matter. Not without Gray, her one true love. That was something that all the riches in the world couldn't get her.

"I will never love you," she declared.

"Are those your terms?" asked Prince Laxus.

"What?"

"Are those your terms?" he repeated.

"I… I guess," said Lucy.

"Fine," said Laxus. "Done."

"Wait. Really?"

Laxus smiled at her. "We've finally found her."

"Hold on a second! I didn't mean—" protested Lucy.

"Let us welcome our new princess home," said Laxus.

What had she done?

* * *

**I've always wondered how someone like Lucy's movie counterpart wound up engaged to Laxus' movie counterpart. I don't remember the movie giving us a good explanation. The book gave us something, but I think it was meant to be sarcastic. For this story, I figured I needed to try to bridge the gap. Did that feel reasonable?  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, Lucy runs into trouble outside of the castle: **_"You're mercenaries," said Lucy, her lip curling in disgust._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	5. Kidnapping the Princess

**It's Monday! And it's Princess Bride time!**

**Irina: I'm glad you enjoyed it! We have lots of other cameos coming (starting with this chapter). I don't know why I often end up portraying Jellal and Ultear that way. (I mean, I do know why... it's Siegrain and Council-Ultear in the Tower arc.) But even though they end up on the side of good in canon, I just can't help but continue to see them as sneaky people! The Cinderella references are mine. I will do a proper Cinderella rewrite at some point, but it seemed like a fun thing to use here. Thanks for reviewing!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

For the next few years, Lucy lived at the castle as Fiore's new princess and the queen to-be. She learned to act, speak and behave as if she had spent her entire life living amongst royalty instead of root vegetables.

Though she was surrounded by finery and had servants to attend her, none of them could ever replace the servant boy she had lived with on the turnip farm. For a while, Lucy tried not to think about it. Avoiding the memories helped with the pain of losing him.

Her Gray.

Nothing could ever replace him. Not being princess or marrying Laxus or anything.

At that rate, what did it matter where she was? The castle. The turnip farm. It was all the same. At least here, she had people waiting on her. And there were fewer memories of Gray… She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.

She needed to take a ride to clear her head. Ordering for her horse to be saddled, Lucy set off. Her horse had become her closest companion since she had come to the castle.

As she crossed the grounds, she passed one of the boys of the Pegasus Mounted Guard. He was friendly enough, though Lucy couldn't even remember his name. He saluted before waving at her cheerfully. Lucy forced a smile and waved back.

Turning her horse away from the road that led towards town, Lucy rode toward the coast. The elevation meant that she could see for miles. From the pale, sandy beaches to the lapping waves in the distance, to the hills that ebbed and flowed around her.

These days, this was the only thing that brought her comfort. Her horse at the castle was much like her horse back home, and if she shut her eyes and focused on the steady rhythm of the mare's gait, she could even pretend that none of it had ever happened. That she was just riding back from the fields. Back to the house. Back to Gray.

"Excuse me!"

Lucy opened her eyes, reining her horse to a hasty stop. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there!"

"Oh, that's no problem!" Before her stood a young man with a broad grin and a plaid scarf wound loosely around his neck. "I was wondering if you could help me," he said. "See, I think I lost my dragon."

"Your… _dragon_?" repeated Lucy, not sure if she had heard correctly. There was no way that was right.

"That's right," said the man. "His name's Igneel, and— Oh, hey! What's that there?" the man asked, pointing.

[Man might be a bit of a stretch. Boy might be better. He's sort of a man-child.]

Lucy started to respond when she saw movement in the corner of her eye. Before she could blink, something cold wrapped around her, tightening around her body and keeping her from moving.

Lucy found herself in the clutches of a dragon… made of _ice_?!

"Nice one, Lyon!" cheered the man.

Another man emerged from behind the first, his arms crossed over his chest. "A _dragon_?" Lyon asked, a brow raised haughtily.

"Works every time! The ladies love it!"

"Yes, for a lost dog or a kitten, Natsu," said Lyon. "But a dragon?"

"I was just trying to give you something to work with," said Natsu. "You think you woulda got her with a kitten?"

"I would have made it a leopard, at that point," said Lyon.

"That's crazy," said Natsu, shaking his head. "_Help_. _Please help me find my lost leopard._ That's gotta be the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

As her captors argued, Lucy struggled against her bonds, but to no avail. They might as well have been made of metal. Lucy tried to cry for help and was rewarded with a mouthful of ice for her troubles.

"What are you two yammering about?" boomed a fierce-looking red-head.

"Erza!" squeaked Natsu. "We were just—"

"I heard what 'you were just'," said Erza.

"Quit your nit-picking. We've captured the princess, as agreed," said Lyon.

"Yes, but why is she still conscious?" asked Erza.

"I never agreed to knock her out," said Lyon.

"Cold feet?" scoffed Erza.

"She's a lady. And the princess, at that. It seemed wrong," said Lyon.

"Don't be such a romantic," said Erza, seizing Lucy by the collar. "You're the one who always says that a job's a job."

"Yes, but some of us still have standards," said Lyon.

"I'll do it myself," huffed Erza.

Lucy barely felt the blow to the back of her head as she slumped unconscious to the ground.

* * *

Lucy was awakened by the gentle ebbs and falls of the tide. The ice was gone and so was the daylight.

Surrounded by darkness, with no place to go, Lucy was alone. With _them_.

"Ah, she's awake," said Lyon.

"Wh-where am I?" she stammered, sitting up.

"B-boat," croaked the hyperactive one they had called Natsu. He gagged over the side of the wooden rowboat.

"Are you always so useless? We're barely even moving!" groused Lyon. "Inconceivable…" he sighed.

"Who are you?" asked Lucy in a small voice. "Where are you taking me?"

"Who we are is of no consequence," came the steely voice of the redheaded woman, Erza. She was clearly the leader of this group.

"What do you want?" Lucy tried again.

"She talks a lot, doesn't she?" asked Lyon.

"Let's make this as simple as possible," said Erza. "We're taking you wherever we're taking you. You'll stay quiet until then."

But Lucy would not stay quiet. She had learned this in Princess 101. Keep people talking to gain sympathy or possibly distract for an opening to escape.

Natsu gave another painful-looking retch over the side of the boat. He moaned plaintively.

"What's wrong with your friend?" Lucy asked.

"What? Natsu?" asked Erza. "He doesn't handle transportation well."

"Aren't you going to help him?" asked Lucy.

Erza and Lyon exchanged glances.

"I think he's beyond help," said Lyon dryly.

So much for forming a sympathetic bond…

"Look, maybe we can come to an agreement," she said. "I'm the princess of Fiore."

"I'm aware," said Erza.

"Why else do you think we bothered with you?" asked Lyon.

"I'm rich. I have jewels and treasures," babbled Lucy. "It could be yours. Anything you'd ever hope for could be yours. Money. Power. Maybe if you tell me what you want—"

"Money? Power? If only life's problems were so easily solved by material things. Besides, the person who hired us could meet that tenfold," said Lyon idly. "You really think _you_ have anything we might want?"

"Hush," said Erza through gritted teeth. "Do _not_ give away our plan."

"You're mercenaries," said Lucy, her lip curling in disgust.

"That's such an ugly word," said Lyon. "I prefer the term mage for hire."

"You're mages, too?" said Lucy.

[Facepalm. Fairy tale girls are never as smart as Fairy Tail girls…]

"The ice dragon wasn't enough of a clue for you?" said Lyon.

It was okay. It was fine. Laxus was a mage, too. And he was a dragon slayer on top of that. That should frighten them.

"My fiancé is a prince," declared Lucy.

Erza gave her a flat look, her mouth twisted mockingly.

"What? It's true!" said Lucy. "Prince Laxus is one of the strongest mages in Fiore. He protects the kingdom. He could fight a hundred men on his own. He's slayed monsters. He's even fought demons! More than that, he loves me. And he'll rescue me. Just watch. Wait until you have to deal with the true power of the Dragon Slayer of Fiore."

Lyon snickered.

"What's so funny?" asked Lucy.

"Would you like to see the true power of a dragon slayer?" asked Lyon. He pointed towards the end of the boat to where Natsu was slumped over the side, heaving his guts into the water.

"_He's_ a dragon slayer?!" said Lucy.

"Terrifying, isn't it?" drawled Lyon.

"Laxus will come for me," insisted Lucy.

"Of that, I have no doubt," said Erza. "What he's doing about it after is what I'm wondering."

"What does that mean?" asked Lucy.

Before Erza could answer, there was a splash near the side of the boat.

"Do you see that?" asked Lyon, leaning over the edge.

"What?" asked Erza.

"There's a beautiful woman over the side of the boat," said Lyon. He pointed at the water.

Erza crossed her arms over her chest. "The moonlight's driven you mad. You're seeing things," she said.

"I know what I saw," he insisted. "I'm not an idiot."

"Careful," mocked Erza. "Next thing you know, you'll be lured overboard by the sirens of the deep."

They were distracted. This was her chance to escape!

With the last of her strength, Lucy threw herself over the opposite side of the boat into the murky darkness, landing with a mighty splash. She gasped as the frigid water hit her skin, the temperature making her muscles contract.

Now what?

"After her!" bellowed Erza.

"She won't make it fifty meters," said Lyon dismissively. "Not in this cold."

"Hurry up," snapped Erza. "She's getting away!"

"Let her try," said Lyon.

And try, she would. She had to give Laxus a fighting chance to find her.

Lucy treaded water, trying to stay afloat. She couldn't keep this up. The only thing she could think to do was to pick a direction and swim. There had to be shore in one direction. But would she pick the right one?

Lucy was already soaked when the pattering of rain started. Was she going in the right direction? How far had she gotten?

Lucy looked around frantically, the haze of rain making it impossible to see. Then, in the distance, she spied the outline of another ship on the horizon. If she swam towards it, she might make it. They might be able to rescue her from these bandits.

Lucy paddled frantically, forcing her numbed limbs to paw at the water, but she barely managed to stay afloat. The waves started rolling and crashing as the storm picked up.

Lightning lit the sky, illuminating the sails of the oncoming ship. They glistened with ice. Beneath them, the hull of the sip was pure, inky black.

The thunder drowned out the pounding of her heart in her ears.

"The _Absolute Zero_…" whispered Lucy. Terror seized hold of Lucy, freezing her to the core.

This was the ship of the Dread Pirate Silver. The fearsome ice-mage pirate who took no prisoners. The monster who killed her beloved Gray.

With a burst of adrenaline, Lucy summoned strength she did not know she had. She paddled back towards the rowboat. Better alive with the bandits than dead at the hands of those who murdered her beloved.

As she drew close to the side of the vessel, something swooped for her. Lucy shielded her face with her arms. The thing—a bird made of ice—latched onto her dress at the shoulders. It hoisted her up and deposited her back on the bandits' rowboat.

"Nice of you to join us," said Lyon, smirking.

"It wasn't intentional," spat Lucy, glaring at him.

[Go ahead. Antagonize your captors, Lucy. Good call!]

The minute she was back aboard, the storm doubled in ferocity, almost as if the ocean itself was displeased. The ship was tossed by the lurch of the waves as if it was a toy.

"Boats," groaned Natsu, leaning over the side with an arm around his stomach.

"Row," commanded Erza.

"Are they after us?" asked Lucy.

"Don't be a fool, Erza. Why would they be?" said Lyon.

"Regardless," said Erza. "That is one ship we do not want to be caught by."

Fighting against the current, the mercenaries threw themselves into paddling. They dragged the little boat towards the shore. As they neared the coast, a final wave rose over the side of the boat. It slammed them against the rock shoals. The little boat splintered into driftwood, sending them tumbling into the water.

Lucy fought to surface. Should she try to escape again? Or was she better off with the kidnappers?

"Gotcha."

Lucy was surprised to find her captured by Natsu, who had wrapped his arms around her waist. He seemed to have miraculously recovered from his bout of seasickness.

"Let me go!" cried Lucy.

"Sorry, you ain't goin' anywhere," said Natsu.

"Good work, Natsu," bellowed Erza. "Where's Lyon?"

"Right here," he groused, surfacing next to them.

"Head for the shore," ordered Erza. "We can still get away."

But the _Absolute Zero_ still loomed in the distance. It looked like it was being propelled to shore, almost as if blessed by the goddess of the sea herself.

* * *

**So what did you guys think of my choice of the three mercenaries?**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_"Natsu, take the girl," commanded Erza. "Lyon can catch up with us once he gets rid of the interloper."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	6. Enter the Mage in Black

**It's Monday! We're finally getting into the meat of the story. At least, that's how I think of it, probably because the first time I watched Princess Bride, I was channel surfing, and this was the scene that I happened upon.  
**

**Irina: Lyon's presence is for three reasons. First, now that Lucy has 'joined up' with Erza and Natsu, the team is almost complete (she was kidnapped; does that still count as joining up?). Lyon was a half-decent replacement for Gray. Second, I like Lyon. (I can just hear the collective eye-roll, lol.) I don't have a better excuse for it. And third? We'll cover the third reason after the chapter. As for our mermaid/sea-goddess? Lyon certainly seems to think she was real; Erza thinks he's insane. They're both always right. For now, I guess it's up to you to decide which one is righter. XD Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

They reached the shore, but the enemy ship did not stop, cutting forward like a phantom through mist. Behind them, no retreat. Before them, a sheer rock face.

Lyon had never seen anything like it. The waves had driven them away from the shore until they neared the rocks. But the pirate ship was being pushed _towards_ the shore. It was almost as if fate intended for them to meet.

"What now?" asked Lyon. The soft sand stuck to his boots as he sprinted along the shore.

"Climb," ordered Erza. "If we're caught now, who knows what Freed will do to us. He'll have our heads."

"Freed?" Princess Lucy burst out. "You mean Laxus' right hand man? What are you—"

"Natsu, gag her," commanded Erza.

"But—" he protested.

"Now."

"Aw, man!" Natsu unwound the scarf from around his neck. "Sorry," he told Princess Lucy as he jammed the fabric into her mouth and wrapped the rest around her eyes. "She'll beat me if I don't. She's scary."

With a tight grip on the rock-face, Lyon glanced over his shoulder. The ship drew closer.

"Has he given up?" asked Erza.

"If anything, he's gaining on us," reported Lyon. He looked back at the ship, the rocks on the coast prevented it from reaching the shore. "Look! He's stopped. He's not going to be able to get any closer. Not unless he wants to smash his ship like we did."

"Look again," said Erza.

Lyon glanced in the direction she was pointing. He was shocked to find a man dressed all in black, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Even most of his face was covered in a black mask. He waved his hands in a well-structured gesture.

"He's… an ice mage?" said Lyon, recognizing the familiar prickle of magic even from this distance. This man, the mage in black, was powerful… perhaps as powerful as he was.

The mage in black conjured a glider made of ice and climbed aboard it. Arms out for balance, he soared towards the shore.

"Incontrollable!" shouted Natsu.

"I doubt that means what you think it does," said Lyon dryly.

"Quit your jabbering," said Erza. "Hurry up and climb."

"Why climb when you can fly?" asked Lyon. Releasing the rock face with one hand, he molded a flock of ice eagles. "Keep your flames away," he warned Natsu as the birds took hold of both him and the princess, lifting them towards the top of the cliff.

Next, he fashioned a great bird with long plumes on its wings and a billowing tail—a phoenix but made of ice instead of flame. Erza vaulted onto the bird's back with an approving nod. Finally, for himself Lyon conjured the ice dragon from before, following close behind them as they, too, reached the top of the cliff.

"Hey! How come you get the dragon?" complained Natsu.

"Make your own if you're going to complain about it," snapped Lyon.

When they were all safely on land, they looked down. The mage in black had reached the bottom of the cliff, starting his own assent.

"How _is_ he doing that?" asked Lyon.

"He's seen us with the girl. We can't let him get away," said Erza.

"We should split up," said Lyon. He would fare better on his own anyways.

"Natsu, take the girl," commanded Erza. "Lyon can catch up with us once he gets rid of the interloper."

"Me?" he asked.

"Think he'll be a problem for you?" challenged Erza.

"Child's play," said Lyon.

"Get to it, then. Do _not_ fail me," she said sharply.

"_Do not fail me_," mocked Lyon under his breath as soon as he was sure that Erza was out of earshot.

Lyon looked straight down. The mage in black was climbing the rock face. Or, he was pretending to, at least.

"Quit the pretenses," shouted Lyon. "I know what you are."

"Oh, and what's that?" asked the mage in black.

"I saw your ice," said Lyon. "You're a mage, the same as I am."

"Guessing it's too late for me to accuse _you_ of being a mage?" quipped the mage in black. "I think I'll do this the easy way, then."

Beneath his mask, the mage in black frowned in concentration. An icy staircase sprang from his fingertips, like a row of soldiers. He started to climb the stairs, each step that he put behind him vanished and a new one took its place on the other side.

How clever!

Lyon marveled at the craftsmanship. True, they were only stairs, but they were perfect and even, as if a master carpenter had constructed each tread and riser. Lyon's heart was filled with awe and a tinge of jealousy. This mysterious stranger was a true artist!

But he wasn't about to display his admiration openly, not to this man who was his enemy.

"Stairs?" he sneered instead.

"Gets me from point A to point B," said the mage.

Lyon waited as the mage climbed and climbed and climbed. He paused every so often to catch his breath, hands braced on his knees.

"Will you hurry it up? Or are you waiting for the cows to come home?" called Lyon irritably. He wanted to fight this mage and get it over with. "The sooner you get up here, the sooner I can fight you, the sooner I can get back to my colleagues."

"Quit your fussing. This is harder than it looks," said the mage in black. "So, unless you're planning to send me one of your little ice creatures, or to somehow be helpful, you can wait your turn."

"You wouldn't trust me even if I did send you an escort," Lyon pointed out. The mage in black was clearly quite clever.

"Probably not," agreed the mage. "Because you're probably just hanging out, waiting to kill me."

"What if I gave you my word?" asked Lyon. "That I wouldn't kill you until _after_ you reached the top?"

"Said the spider to the fly," retorted the mage in black. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Honestly, yes," said Lyon. "But that's not something to discuss now," Lyon added.

The mage in black gave a disbelieving chuckle. "Okay… I like it. You want me to trust you, and you're insulting me."

"Honesty is a good way to build trust. As you can see, I'm an open book."

"Hm. Weird, but okay. That's one way to do it."

"Now, what if I swear on my honor as an ice mage?" suggested Lyon carefully.

The mage in black chuckled. "See, I know too many ice mages, being one myself and all."

Lyon swallowed hard. "I swear on the honor of my master, Ur Milkovich, the greatest woman to ever wield the power of ice. You will reach the top safely."

The two mages locked eyes, a wave of understanding passing between them.

"All right, then," said the mage in black. "I accept."

[So instead of believing the honor of one ice mage, he decides to believe the honor of another ice mage. Nice going, MiB.]

Lyon raised a hand, sketching out his creation. Normally, he preferred to create animals, facsimiles of living creatures. But the mage in black had inspired him with those perfect stairs. So, Lyon fashioned his own, except his would move of their own accord, pulled by the unseen force of his magic.

"What are you waiting for? Climb on!" commanded Lyon.

With one final wary glance, the mage in black did so. "There's something you don't see every day. A moving staircase. Did you come up with that one on your own?" he asked as he rode the stairs to the top of the cliff.

"Tired still?" sneered Lyon. "I did carry you the last part of the way."

"Yeah, and I walked the first part!" said the mage in black. "_And_ I flew all the way over here from my ship."

"No, no, take your time," said Lyon with a haughty wave. "No sense in rushing."

"Kind of you."

"I wouldn't want to face you at anything other than your very best."

"Understandable," said the mage in black. His smirk grew sharp. "You'll have an excuse for when I defeat you."

Lyon shook his head in disbelief, his forehead drawing together in disbelief. Did this man really think he could beat him?

Some people just didn't know when to quit.

"You _still_ think that you will beat me," observed Lyon, his frown disbelieving, though his voice was tinged with sympathy.

"I don't think. I know," said the mage in black."

"There's something that _I_ know that _you_ don't," said Lyon. "With that knowledge, I know _I_ will be the one to defeat you," he bragged.

"Why's that?" asked the mage in black.

"I have something to live for," declared Lyon.

"Lucky you," said the mage in black.

"But before we begin, I have to ask you something," said Lyon.

"Ask away, or are you chickening out?" asked the mage in black.

"Nothing like that, though I do understand your wishful thinking. No, I am looking for a beautiful woman," said Lyon.

"Aren't we all?" quipped the mage in black.

"I meant, have you seen a beautiful, dark haired woman?" asked Lyon. "She's about this tall. She'd be about our age."

"I meet so many people on my voyages—"

"You'd remember if you met this girl," interrupted Lyon.

"Well, since I don't, I guess I didn't," said the mage in black. "What's so special about this girl, anyways?"

"She was the daughter of my master," said Lyon. "And quite possibly the most beautiful creature who ever lived."

"You live dangerously," said the mage in black. "Falling in love with your master's girl? Ri-sky."

"I could hardly help that. Besides, she was worth any risk," said Lyon.

"So? Where is she now?"

"I wish I knew," said Lyon.

"She ran away?" asked the mage in black.

[Normally when a girl ditches you, it's a pretty clear sign that it's over. Just sayin']

"This was nothing like the sort," insisted Lyon. "It all started on a day much like any other. It was so nondescript that I could hardly remember what had happened before. Master had sent me on some sort of errand, I think. But when I returned to the house, I found the door torn from its hinges. The kitchen had been ransacked. The whole house…" Lyon shook his head.

He could see it as clearly now as if he were still there. The table had been upturned. Fragments of a porcelain bowl—the color of a ripe pear—lay broken across the floor. Coals from hearth. And of course, Ur…

Lyon shuddered.

"That was when I found my master, brutally attacked. She was barely clinging on to life. With her dying breath, the last words she uttered were her daughter's name. Ultear. Her final wish was for me to look after her precious child in her stead," said Lyon, his voice breaking. "Master… Master had given me a home. She had given me her knowledge of ice make magic. And finally, she left me with the greatest gift of all, her daughter."

"Wow…" breathed the mage in black. "But that doesn't explain why you're looking for her."

"There was just one problem."

"What was that?"

"Ultear was gone."

"Gone?"

"Gone. She was nowhere to be seen. It was almost like she vanished. I never found out what happened that day. But I swore I'd find the truth. It's been five years since that day, but since then I've been looking, trying to find out what happened… Why was my Master murdered? And what happened to my beloved Ultear?

"After all this time, how do you know there's even anything to look for?" asked the mage in black.

"They never found a body. I know that doesn't necessarily mean…" Lyon trailed off, his voice soft. "But I would know if she _were_ dead," insisted Lyon. "Our two hearts beat as one, my true love and I. I'll find her. That was my master's dying wish. Her final instruction to me. And I will carry it out. I _will_ find her. For Master's sake. And for Ultear's."

"I can tell how much you love her. I hope you find what you're looking for," said the mage in black."

"Thank you," said Lyon. He was surprised by how genuine the other man sounded. They could be kindred spirits, if he wasn't so annoyingly smug.

"Enough stalling," said the mage in black.

"Who's stalling? I was just giving you a chance to catch your breath," said Lyon.

"Consider me caught up," said the mage in black as he climbed to his feet and dusted off his clothes.

"Shall we begin then?" asked Lyon.

* * *

**So my third reason for casting Lyon in this role was... because I needed this fight. Absolutely _needed_ this fight; it makes me so ridiculously happy. :P By the way, my runner-up for this first fight was Natsu, but I have other plans for him! (Insert evil cackle. :P)  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_Both men shuffled, circling the arena like vultures as they faced off. They eyed one another warily, each trying to size up their opponent._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	7. Ice Mage vs Ice Mage

**It's Monday! Super excited for this week's chapter. This was such a fun scene to write. Hopefully I was able to keep it fresh for the movie buffs who already know where this is going. Long-time readers know that I like to go off-script now and again.  
**

**Irina: I love those two as friends and even more as rivals. Gray tends to be a little more casual, but I feel like Lyon's always that posh (at least he tries to be). He's definitely in for a nasty shock when he finds his beloved's whereabouts, though. Sounds good - It'll make it easier for me to surprise you. Have a great week! :)**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon waited for the mysterious mage to accept his request.

"Guess so," said the mage in black. "You've been plenty fair. Let's get this over with."

"In another life, we could have been brothers," mused Lyon. He rolled his shoulders in preparation for the battle ahead. "It seems a shame to kill you."

"It would be a shame to die," agreed the mage in black amicably. He obviously had no idea what he was getting into.

Lyon decided that he'd go easy on the mysterious mage. His own ice was remarkably strong, nearly indestructible. He'd introduce a handicap for himself by molding one-handed. Leveling the playing field was the least he could do. Otherwise, this fight would end in slaughter.

The terrain was rocky and uneven, with large jutting rocks and pillars to duck behind. The perfect place for a duel.

Lyon shifted into a defensive stance, his casting arm at the ready. He had learned never to make the first move, one of the first lessons Master Ur had taught him. It was almost always better to let the opponent be the aggressor and see what sort of weaknesses they opened themselves up to. That would be the best way to craft strategy.

Both men shuffled, circling the arena like vultures as they faced off. They eyed one another warily, each trying to size up their opponent.

Finally, the mage in black raised a hand, molding a catapult. Static ice was his preference, then. Light weaponry, perhaps. It appeared he molded one-handed as well. How odd. It wasn't a particularly common practice.

With a single gesture from the mage, the catapult began to fire.

Lyon cast a wide shield to deflect the incoming projectiles, disappointed to find them to be mere pebbles and twigs. They hit the ice and bounced harmlessly back to the ground.

"Sticks and stones? What are we? Children?" scoffed Lyon, dropping his shield.

"Tag, you're it," drawled the mage in black, a spinning disk shooting from his fingers the instant that Lyon's shield was down.

Lyon cursed, ducking hastily. This mysterious ice mage was horribly skilled. This might prove to be an entertaining match after all.

Ice flew as Lyon started to mold his menagerie. A bear. An ape. A wolf. A tiger!

[Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!]

Each was more powerful than the last, but each was shattered by another mechanical creation by the mage in black. With each setback, Lyon inched closer toward the edge. Finally, he found his back pressed against a rocky pillar.

The mage in black grinned triumphant, pointing at Lyon with an icy sword.

Lyon just chuckled. The mage in black was amazing! A worthy opponent, certainly. But _he_ was the one who'd have the last laugh.

"What's so funny?" demanded the mage in black.

"I think there's something else you need to know," said Lyon, trying to suppress his glee.

"What's that?" asked the mage in black.

Lyon smirked. "…I don't usually mold one-handed."

Lyon rammed the man out of the way with his shoulder, knocking him off balance. Pressing his fist to his palm, Lyon summoned a snow leopard that snarled as it lunged for the mage.

The mage in black responded with a hastily cast shield, but the leopard tore through his barricade, showering everything in icy shards.

"Everyone knows that one-handed ice is unbalanced. Unstable," gloated Lyon. Now that he was using both hands, his ice was like iron. He'd be unstoppable.

The ice panther slammed the mage to the ground, holding him in place with powerful paws. If it had been alive, the mage would have been able to feel the beast's breath on his face. A look of surprise flickered across the other's man's face, his eyes widening. Though he didn't have nearly the amount of panic that Lyon had expected.

It didn't matter. A win was a win.

"Y'know, this is rough," said the mage in black, staring up at the ferocious ice beast that had him pinned.

"You don't say," gloated Lyon, a smirk crossing his face.

"Might be a good time to mention… I don't usually mold one-handed either," said the mage in black.

With precise movements, he pulled his palms apart, smoothing the ice into a canon. He shattered the snow leopard's head.

Lyon winced.

Switching back to two-handed molding gave the mage in black the advantage again. He advanced, relentless in his molding, caging Lyon's creatures with ice he could not break. And as fast as Lyon was, the mage in black was faster.

And before long, the tables had turned. Lyon found himself cornered in, with nowhere to turn.

Pain shot through his skull as something struck him in the back of his head. He stumbled, his vision blurring dizzyingly. He was flat on his back, the world above him tunneling to a pinprick.

"You know, I feel almost bad," said the mage in black, his voice fading in and out. "It's like destroying one of those fancy ice sculptures. Oh, wait. Totally did."

Lyon snarled, or he tried, at least, unable to do any more before his world went black.

* * *

Lyon thumbed through the pages. Where was that diagram that Master had showed him? Maybe it was in a different book.

_Ker-thump!_

Lyon's head snapped up, startled when something—or someone—came tumbling through his window. Book forgotten, Lyon shot to his feet, his hands at the ready, prepared to face the intruder with magic.

To his shock, what he found was no intruder.

"Ultear?"

His master's daughter was splayed in a clumsy heap under his windowsill. She blinked in confusion before brushing herself off.

Lyon took an involuntary step closer, extending a hand to help her up. Lyon tried to ignore the way the brush of her fingers left him with that ever-familiar twinge in his stomach.

"Hey…" She smiled coyly at him. "Surprised?"

"A little," admitted Lyon. "How did you even get up there?" His window was high enough it would have been more than a casual accident for someone to enter.

Ultear smiled mysteriously. "That's a secret."

Their hands were still laced together. Lyon released her, certain that he had imagined the way she had squeezed his fingers as he pulled away.

He had to have imagined it. She couldn't possibly know that he liked her. Why would she? It wasn't like he had said anything about it. Besides, he doubted Master would approve.

"You really shouldn't be here," Lyon said. "You know your mother doesn't—" Lyon broke off with a frown.

That was odd. He could hear footsteps approaching. There seemed to be somebody running past. And they were shouting something.

Ultear shot a wary glance over her shoulder, biting her lip.

"Are you running from somebody?" asked Lyon.

"Hm?" She blinked at him innocently. "What? No! Of course, not!"

Lyon started to peek outside. "Really? You know, it sounds almost like—"

Lyon was cut off when Ultear caught him by the collar, yanking him down towards her. Her lips crashed against his as she kissed him fiercely, her lips pressing insistently against his. Hungry. Demanding.

His pulse roared in his ears.

Did that just happen? Did that mean… that she was interested in him?

Lyon blinked, dazed and unsure how to respond. "Ultear, what… what was that?" he mumbled, breathless.

"Just a kiss, silly," she said.

"Yes, but… Ultear…"

Almost as if she could read his mind, Ultear's hands trailed up his arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. They wrapped themselves around his neck. Her dark eyes sparked with mischief as she pulled him in slowly, teasing him as she rested her forehead against his, their noses touching.

Lyon could barely believe how close she was. The scent of lilacs tickled his nose, as intoxicating as the woman who wore it.

"No. We can't," he said, starting to pull away, tucking his hands behind his back. Lyon swallowed hard, shaking his head. His mouth had gone dry. "Your mother…" he choked.

"Doesn't have to know…" she whispered. She looked up at him through her lashes, her gaze suggesting so much more. She guided his hands to her sides, her waist, finally setting them on her hips.

"But… Ultear…" he said, brain too addled to form a more coherent sentence.

"Shh." Ultear pressed a commanding finger to his lips firmly to silence him before trailing a fingertip across the lower one.

This time Lyon didn't move away. He wanted her touch. He craved it. He knew it was wrong, but he'd give the world to kiss her again.

As if reading his mind, Ultear closed the gap between them. One of her hands tangled the hair at the nape of his neck. She leaned in, her lips grazing his as she spoke his name.

"Lyon…" she murmured.

Lyon licked his lips, unable to hold back anymore. He nodded, his arms tightening around her waist. He claimed her lips and kissed her back, softly this time. Reverently.

Her eyes were wide and startled when they broke apart. It seemed that she hadn't been expecting that from him.

Well, too late. His secret was out.

"So now you know," he said, his voice whisper-soft. "Ultear… I love you too."

* * *

**This might just be a dream, but someone's in for a rude awakening... XD  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, the mage in black continues on his rampage. Who's his next opponent? **_"Come on. No tragic backstory?" asked the mage in black. "The last guy wrote me a book."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	8. A Duel Between Scarlet and Black

**It's Monday! This week's battle is - hopefully - an unexpected one.  
**

**Irina: Glad you liked it! I definitely have a soft spot for our Ice-Make brothers too. Ultear is fun too. I will confess that this particular outcome (Lytear) is a response to some of their more emotional moments in _Journey_. They're platonic in that one, but I started wondering what they'd look like if they were lovers. We'll see more of her in a couple of chapters. Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Grass crunched underfoot. The grade of the hill became steeper as they hiked further towards the top.

She gave an impatient huff. "Keep walking." Erza prodded the prisoner between the shoulder blades. The sooner they completed this job, the sooner they got paid.

"Do you gotta keep doing that?" asked Natsu.

"Not if she keeps moving," said Erza. So Natsu was filling in for Mr. Chivalrous, now, was he? As if Lyon's foolishness wasn't enough.

Speaking of… Erza looked over her shoulder, checking on their ice mage's progress. She knew he could take care of himself, but she was loathe to leave one of her own behind. Maybe she wasn't chivalrous, but she did have standards.

But instead of Lyon, there was the mage in black, making steady progress up the hill. From her vantage point, she could see him clearly, as well as Lyon's defeated form, sprawled unconscious behind him.

"He beat Lyon?" muttered Erza, frowning harshly.

They didn't always get along, but even Erza had to admit that Lyon was a master ice mage. He was unmatched in his skill and sheer power. And for someone to have defeated him? That shouldn't have been possible. She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it herself.

"That's… wait, what's the word? Inconsiderable! That's it!" said Natsu.

Perhaps it wasn't that 'inconsiderable.' They all knew that Lyon's failing was his arrogance. He probably let his pride get the best of him and did something stupid. Now she'd have to collect the idiot.

She'd never let him live this one down.

But that was a thought for later. For now, they had an opponent that needed to be stopped. She'd see to it that he'd interfere with their mission no further.

"Take the girl," ordered Erza, pushing the princess into Natsu's arms. "I'll handle our new friend. I need to meet the man who beat Lyon at his craft."

The princess gave an indignant _hmph!_ still gagged by Natsu's scarf. She kicked at Natsu, not that it accomplished anything.

"What am I supposed to do with her?" asked Natsu. "Quit squirming," he told the girl.

"Take the princess up the hill, then wait for further instructions," said Erza.

"Is that all?" asked Natsu.

"No, but I don't trust you with anything more complicated than that," snapped Erza, impatience seeping into her voice. "Now, go."

As the mage in black crested the hill, Erza requipped into her Heaven's Wheel armor.

"My name is Erza Scarlet. I wield the sword Archenemy," she bellowed. "Who faces me?"

"Well met, Miss Scarlet. The name's Silver. And I can hold my breath underwater for ten minutes," the mage in black quipped.

"You're mocking me," she said through gritted teeth, her voice low and cold like the steel she wielded.

"Nah. Wouldn't dream of it," he called back, grinning cheekily.

The insolence!

Erza roared, charging him, swords drawn.

The mage in black spread his arms, casting broad, icy shield. It deflected her incoming blades, but unable to withstand the force, the shield shattered, dematerializing to icy ether.

Confidence surged through her. With sword in either hand, Erza was unstoppable.

But the mage was undaunted. Pressing his palms together, he fashioned a flying disc of razor-sharp ice, which Erza needed to take to the skies to dodge.

Held high by feathery wings, Erza assessed the situation. Her opponent was quick. Skilled. Clever. She could see why Lyon had struggled. But she would succeed where he had not.

The mage in black was versatile, but so was she.

From her position above, Erza summoned her swords, fanning them around her like a halo. At her command, they rained from the skies, showering the enemy mage with a torrent of steel. He cast a dome of ice, protecting himself from the onslaught.

Amazingly, the mage in black didn't seem upset in the slightest. With crisp, yet somehow leisurely movements, he then molded a bow for himself, sending an arrow skyward without wasted motion.

Erza avoided it without any trouble. What did he think he was going to do with a puny arrow? Erza had an entire arsenal at her disposal.

Increasing his speed, the mage fired another and another, leaving Erza to dodge an entire barrage of arrows. Something whizzed past her right side. Far too close.

Erza cursed. She had left her right side unguarded.

Pivoting, Erza jerked out of the way. Off balance, she careened through the air, struggling to steady herself.

The mage's attacks kept her moving, with him shooting two arrows for every one sword she managed to launch. She couldn't aim and fly at the same time.

_Fwhoomp!_

Erza felt, more than saw, the arrow that tore through the wings of her armor. Time seemed to slow as she lost control. Erza went hurtling back down to earth. Scrambling to her feet, Erza hurried to change armors before the mage could close in.

Being airborne didn't help. She needed to attack him at his weakness and take away his advantage. Target his ice. Something involving fire. Flame Empress, perhaps.

Arrayed in matching breastplate and gauntlets, Erza raised her enchanted broadsword over her head. She sent a whip of flame at the mage in black.

It melted right through the gungnir he had shaped.

"Impressive," he said good-naturedly.

He created a lance next. Then a battle axe. And a giant hammer.

Erza reduced his little ice toys to water.

It didn't matter what the mage in black cast, it didn't matter how many lances and spears and swords he created. None of them could withstand the Flame Empress. The fire cut through his ice like a hot knife through butter.

Until his ice engulfed her flames.

"I think we're at an impasse," observed the mage in black.

"What makes you say that?" demanded Erza, as she prepared her next armor. Would she use her Adamantine Armor? Her Black Wing Armor? Her Flight Armor?

"Just an observation, but here's how I see it. You're just going to keep requipping into some other type of armor."

"Yes."

"And I'll just mold an ice-weapon that defeats your armor. Then you'll change armors, and I'll change weapons and on and on, and on and on."

"Your point?"

"It'll _never_ end," said the mage in black.

"What are you proposing?"

"How about you put away your armor and I'll put down my ice, and we can try to kill each other like civilized people."

[With your permission, may I kindly kill you now? Please, after you. No, no, after you.]

"Sounds reasonable," said Erza. "Just one thing, before we begin."

"Sure."

"You fight like someone who's seen much of the world," Erza observed.

"I've seen more than I'd like," agreed the mage in black.

"In your travels, have you seen a man with a red seal over his right eye?" she asked.

"Red seal… red seal…" muttered the mage. "Nope, can't say I have. Why?"

"He's just someone I'm looking for," she said.

"Oh?"

She nodded.

"Come on. No tragic backstory?" asked the mage in black. "The last guy wrote me a book."

"Lyon tends to be overdramatic," said Erza wryly.

"Just a little. So, what's your deal?" the mage in black asked.

"My affairs are my own. No one else's."

"Fair enough," said the mage. "So, what now?"

"So now we fight," declared Erza. "We face each other like warriors on the field of battle."

"Single combat?" he asked.

Erza nodded.

"To the death?" quipped the mage in black.

"Why not?" she said. If that was how he wanted to play, she'd indulge him. Without his ice, she'd be victor.

"With what?" asked the mage in black.

Erza held her hands up in a gesture of fairness. Then she requipped two identical swords. She tossed one to the mage in black. He caught it easily.

"No magic?" he clarified.

"No magic," she promised.

"All right. Let's go," he said.

The minute Erza raised her sword, the mage in black launched himself towards her, disappearing beyond the edge of her vision.

Erza pivoted to keep the mage within her sights, barely blocking the thrust of his sword. He lunged close to keep out of her reach, dancing past the tip of her blade. What sort of person dodged by getting closer to their opponent?

She struck again, but the mage darted out of the strike zone once more. He never seemed to pull back and put some distance between them, like any normal fighter would. Instead, he wove back and forth, pressing just close enough to make it difficult for her to get an effective hit in, then just far enough to be out of the reach of her sword. It was like he couldn't make up his mind.

Erza slashed blindly, unable to see beyond the darkness to her right.

He wasn't that fast, and he wasn't that strong. But he kept placing himself in her blind spot. With only one working eye, Erza had learned to compensate. Her depth perception wasn't the strongest, and her peripheral vision was next to non-existent. She was completely vulnerable to attacks on her right side. And all the moving back and forth wasn't helping.

"What are you doing?" she muttered. "What game is this?"

"Who's playing games?" he asked.

Did he know? Did he realize how much of a disadvantage he was putting her at?

With a final twist of his wrist, he flung her sword away, sending it sailing towards the darkness of her blind right side. Erza's hand stung as the pommel was wretched from her grip.

She gave a furious cry, tackling him to the ground. She'd defeat him bare handed!

This nameless mage could not persevere. She had a bounty to collect for kidnapping the princess. She had a manhunt to finish. She had a fiancé to avenge.

She would not be defeated here!

Despite the ferocity of her attack, the mage in black simply tossed his sword aside calmly, kicking it away with his foot before she slammed him to the ground.

The vertigo hit before she realized what was happening. Erza hadn't even registered the deft blow to her side of her neck. He hadn't hit hard, but she could feel the way his knuckles had dug far enough into her pressure point to leave her feeling breathless and dizzy.

No, she couldn't fall. She wouldn't. She had to win. She tried to fight the darkness that threatened to pull her under. The seconds felt like minutes as she lost the battle with her own body.

"I know I said that we'd fight to the death, but I'm actually kind of late for something," said the mage. "Hope you forgive me for _not_ killing you."

His words filled her with shameful relief, as she learned that her life's quests would not go unfinished.

With that knowledge, she crumbled, succumbing to the darkness.

Erza Scarlet had been bested by the mage in black.

* * *

**Only in this universe, you guys! Can you imagine if he beat Erza in canon? As much as I'd like to see that, I doubt it would ever happen, so we had to make it happen here. And y****es, I know, Archenemy is Kagura's sword. But Kagura's not here right now. :)**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, now it's all down to Natsu: **_"I'm a dragon slayer. A fire dragon slayer. That guy's an ice mage. He might as well be a snowman. A couple fireballs and he's done."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	9. Fighting Ice with Fire?

**It's Monday! And it's time for Natsu vs the Mage in Black.  
**

**Irina: I always need more Erza in my life. In truth, I headcanon that these two train together. They would make such good sparing partners. If that were the case, his beating her once or twice isn't completely insane. We get lots more Natsu this week, so hopefully you enjoy him. Although... do you think he's about to get his ego destroyed too? Thank you so much for your kind wishes. All the same to you and yours! :) I'm glad you're so excited for me; let's make this a great year!  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Why did he have to get stuck with the hostage? It wasn't even like he was super into this job in the first place. This one had been Erza's pick. Actually, most jobs tended to be.

"Hey, where are you taking me?" the princess demanded.

"Erza says we gotta get you away," said Natsu.

It had been too quiet without the rest of his friends, so Natsu had ungagged her soon after they had separated. But he wasn't completely stupid. He had fastened his scarf around her wrists so he could keep a hold on the girl so she wouldn't get away.

As they walked, the ground had gradually grown grassy and he had heard the bubbling of a nearby stream. Natsu had decided to stay close to it so that it would make it easier for Erza and Lyon to find him later.

"This would be way easier without that mage in black chasing after us," Natsu complained.

"You afraid he'll catch you?" asked the princess.

"Nah," said Natsu. "He ain't catching me."

"You're confident," said the princess.

"'Course, I am," said Natsu.

"He beat your friend," the princess pointed out. "The other ice mage."

"Lyon's full of crap. He's not that strong," said Natsu.

"He beat your other friend. The redhead."

"Yeah, well she's—" Natsu broke off, his eyes widening. "Popsicle Pants beat Erza?" he squeaked. "Holy crap!"

"Ooh. Someone sounds worried," said the princess.

"Erza's terrifying! Practically a monster," Natsu ranted, his hands fisting his hair. "What kind of inhuman creature beats Erza?!"

[Well, someone's a sore loser...]

"Maybe you should be worried," said the princess seriously.

"Yeah, well—are you trying to mess with my head?" asked Natsu suddenly.

"No! Why would I do that?" retorted the princess.

"I'm on to you," said Natsu. He looked back at the mage in black. It wouldn't be long until he caught up with them. "Guess it's up to me to stop him," said Natsu, jabbing a thumb at his own chest.

"You just called him an inhuman creature. Do you really think you can stop him?" asked the princess. "He seems pretty impressive."

"I'm a dragon slayer. A _fire_ dragon slayer. That guy's an ice mage. He might as well be a snowman. A couple fireballs and he's done."

"That's not very sportsmanlike," said the princess.

Natsu frowned. "You think so? I mean, I guess I can… Wait, here he comes!"

A blazing inferno shot from Natsu's fists.

"Fire dragon roar!" bellowed Natsu.

"Whoa, hey! You could really hurt someone with those," said the mage in black. "You almost took off my eyebrows."

"That was sort of the idea," said Natsu.

"Shaving my eyebrows?"

"Hurting someone. That was a warning shot, by the way. Apparently, I'm not very sportsmanlike," said Natsu, glaring at the princess.

"Decent of you," said the mage in black.

"Next one's for real, though," shouted Natsu. "Fire-Dragon Brilliant Flame!"

The mage in black buried himself in an iceberg, waiting for the flames to pass. "Do you always announce your attacks?" he asked.

"Typically," said Natsu. "It's an intimidation tactic. Keeps the other guy on his toes."

"Well, go on," called the mage in black. "Intimidate me."

"Wait! Before we start, I gotta ask you something," said Natsu.

"Lemme guess," said the mage in black, a wry smile on his masked face. "You're looking for someone too."

"Hey, how'd ya know?" asked Natsu.

"Lucky guess…" shrugged the mage in black.

"So, have you seen an old guy, about this tall?" asked Natsu, lowering his hand to his just above his waist.

"Can't say that I have," the mage in black said. "So. Grandfather? Mentor?"

"He's the chef from this restaurant called 8-Island," said Natsu.

"What?"

"That's what it used to be called, anyways, before it closed."

8-Island had been Natsu's favorite place in the world. It was always so lively, and the food was amazing. He would eat there once a week when he was in town. It was always his first stop back after he had been away.

"They had the best firecracker chicken I've ever tasted, let me tell ya. And believe me, I know fire," said Natsu.

"Oh, I do."

"I had just come back from a job, and I was craving my favorite. That, and I wanted to tell Chef all about my adventure. I headed straight for 8-Island, like I always did whenever I came back from a trip. Then, BAM! Just like that. The sign on the door said: _Permanently_ _Closed_, and with no warning or nothing! I was so bummed!" said Natsu. "Ever since then, I've been on a quest to find the 8-Island Chef."

"What are you going to do once you find him?" asked the mage in black.

"Ask him about the secret sauce, of course!" said Natsu. "See, he had this secret firecracker sauce he put on his chicken. It was from another world. Nothing else like it. Once I find him, I'm asking him what he put in that sauce to make it so good."

"Well, I can't help you there."

"I guess if you haven't seen him…" said Natsu.

"I already said I ain't seen him," said the mage. "Man, you're slow to the punch."

"Are you picking a fight?" growled Natsu.

"Why would I want to fight someone as stupid as you?" asked the mage.

"Let's see how you like it when I fight ice with fire," said Natsu, pounding his fists together.

"You're not serious," sighed the mage.

"Right here, right now. Or don't you have the guts?" challenged Natsu.

"I have a better idea," said the mage in black, producing a small cube of crystal.

"Whatssat?"

"Etherion lacrima crystal," said the mage in black. "Probably one of the most potent forms of magical energy on earth. This amount is probably able to destroy a small town."

"That's nothing," said Natsu. "_I_ can destroy a small town, just with my fists."

"Then you wouldn't be opposed to ingesting some of this, then? It's very dangerous. You might not be tough enough."

"I eat fire for breakfast. Bring it on!" howled Natsu.

The mage in black gave a slight nod. He molded two small tumblers and a matching pitcher from ice.

"You, girl. Fill this up with water from the stream," said the mage in black.

"Me?" asked the princess. "Um…" She raised her bound hands, shooting him a scathing look.

"You'll have to untie her," said the mage in black.

"I'm not doing that!" shouted Natsu. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"You got a better idea?" asked the mage in black. "How else are we gonna prove which of us is stronger?"

That sounded reasonable. He could untie the princess for a little while. Besides, she wasn't going to get far even if she did try to run.

"Fine," said Natsu, yanking his scarf off the princess's wrists. "But don't try nothin'. Either of ya."

"Of course not," said the mage in black. "It wouldn't be _sportsmanlike_. Here, now go fill this up." The mage in black placed the pitcher into the princess's hands.

The princess looked startled when their eyes met. Then her eyes narrowed as she scowled at him.

She returned with water from the stream, setting the pitcher down on the log.

"Can I trust you if I leave you untied?" asked Natsu. "I'll roast ya if you run."

"You wouldn't dare!" said the princess.

"Here, I got her," said the mage in black. He raised a hand and encased her feet in ice. "I'll deal with you later."

"Hey!" she squawked.

"Now what?" asked Natsu.

The mage in black crushed the crystal between his palms, turning it into a fine powder. Then he stepped between them, hunching over the glasses and blocking them from view. When he straightened, he turned and showed his empty palms.

"I have placed the etherion," he declared.

"I don't see it," said Natsu.

"That's the game, isn't it?" said the mage in black.

"You mean it's tasteless, odorless and invisible?"

The mage in black rolled his eyes. "You can pour, and we can drink."

"You want _me_ to pour?" asked Natsu suspiciously.

"Just to make it sporting," said the mage in black. "Or I could if you'd rather."

"Nah, I'll do it," said Natsu. He eyed the glasses. They didn't look out of the ordinary and his dragon slayer's senses didn't detect anything wrong. "What's the catch?"

"No catch," said the mage in black. "Just a simple test of endurance. Mostly since you lack the brains for anything else."

"How is this a test of endurance?" asked Natsu.

The mage in black shrugged. "I don't know. It sounded good. Would you have agreed if I had proposed a battle of wits?"

"Well, no…" said Natsu.

"You backing out?" asked the mage in black.

"Of course not!" Natsu eyed the glasses suspiciously. They looked perfectly ordinary. Did the mage in black slip the etherion in one of these? They seemed normal enough, if glasses made of ice could be considered normal.

Natsu sniffed at each in turn.

"Etherion doesn't have a scent," said the mage. "It's colorless, odorless, tasteless—"

"Hold on." Natsu picked up the pitcher.

"Get on with it," said the mage in black.

Something still wasn't sitting right.

"You poisoned the pitcher, didn't you?" accused Natsu.

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know!"

The mage waved for the pitcher, sipping from it directly without hesitating.

"Satisfied?" he asked.

"Okay, I guess you didn't poison the _entire_ pitcher," said Natsu. "That would have been stupid."

The poison had to be in one of the cups. But which one?

Natsu poured the water, cubes of ice clinking as he filled each tumbler to the brim. They looked identical. Then he put one in front of himself and one in front of his opponent.

Lightning fast, the mage in black grabbed for the glass nearest him.

"Hey!" growled Natsu. "I see what you did. We're trading."

"You're the one who poured," the mage pointed out, the glass half-way to his lips.

"Yeah, but you know where the etherion is," said Natsu. "We're trading."

Reluctantly, the mage in black set his glass back down and swapped it with Natsu's.

The mage in black raised the glass warily. "Cheers."

Natsu grinned. He got him!

"You first," said Natsu.

The mage in black raised the glass slowly, taking the smallest sip. "Now it's your turn."

"Finish it," said Natsu.

The muscles in the mage's neck tensed.

"What's the matter?" asked Natsu, grinning.

"Nothing..."

"Finish it."

The mage eyed the glass with thinly veiled distaste. His hands quivered as he raised it. Then, in a single motion, the mage in black threw back his head, gulping down the rest of the water.

"Done."

After a moment, he doubled over, the glass falling out of his trembling hand.

"Ha!" crowed Natsu. "I knew it! I told you we needed to swap!"

"Your turn," gasped the mage in black.

"Why?" asked Natsu. "I already won."

"F-finish. Or don't you… don't you have the guts?"

Natsu shrugged. "Whatever, man!" Natsu drank from his own glass. "Hey, this tastes pretty good."

The water was cool from where the ice had started to melt. He swirled his glass around. Natsu took another drink, finishing the water before crunching away at the ice cubes. Where had the ice come from anyways?

"Are you serious?" asked the mage in black. "Who the heck eats ice cubes?"

"Hey! I thought you were poisoned!" protested Natsu. A quiver of unease buzzed in his stomach.

"No, but you are," said the mage in black. He was frighteningly calm, his earlier anguish vanishing completely.

"What?" asked Natsu. Anxiety beaded along his forehead in a cold sweat. He swallowed, his tongue feeling dry and too big for his mouth.

The mage in black straightened with an exasperated sigh. "Do I have to spell it out for ya?"

Natsu was starting to feel a little sick. A little dizzy. The quiver in his stomach gave way a painful lurch. Natsu doubled over.

"You tr-tricked me!" Natsu moaned through shallow breaths. His stomach was killing him as the pain ratcheted in intensity. "Inconsumable…"

"You always this slow to the punch, Ash for Brains? That should have kicked in way sooner."

Punch? Oh, he wanted to punch this guy!

Natsu opened his mouth to respond, but the words slurred as he slumped forward, overwhelmed by pain. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

* * *

**So... hopefully that wasn't too confusing. This was a hard scene to put together. The original poison chalices scene worked so beautifully because of the twist ending. I remember my first time watching it, asking myself: where's the catch? The Mage In Black had proven himself brave and clever; there had to be a trick somewhere. And when we got the big reveal, I was completely surprised. It would have been hard to do the same scene, unaltered, and expect it to have the same effect on this audience, since most of you know what to expect. So I changed it up a little bit, while still trying to pay homage to the original. Hopefully it was still satisfying and I managed to surprise you. :)  
**

**And if it isn't clear what the MiB did, he reveals it in his next chapter.**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, the prince has his say: **_"It comes as no coincidence that this attack comes on the cusp of my marriage to Princess Lucy," decided Laxus. "Minerva's madly jealous. Well, no matter. We'll find the princess, and rescue her from her captors. Then we'll declare war on Sabertooth as a reminder that Fiore is not a kingdom to be trifled with."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	10. The Hunting Party

**It's Monday! This week, we get up close and personal with the baddies.  
**

**Irina: Always a pleasure! We definitely will see our mercenary team again. The original author gave several of them quite a bit of backstory in the film, but he cut it out when he adapted it to film. I will, not only be including this characterization, but adding to give them a little arc of their own. Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Back at the castle, Princess Lucy's disappearance hadn't gone unnoticed. The prince's steward, Freed, was addressing the problem.

"Did it work?" Ultear asked him.

"Just as you planned," said Freed with a distracted nod.

"Just as _you_ planned," said Ultear, clasping cool fingers against his cheek.

Freed started to protest, but then stopped. He _had_ been the one to organize the kidnapping, hadn't he?

"You've done well, Freed. You deserve to be commended," she said.

"Yes, but…" The prince's steward shook his head, a thin line of disapproval creasing his forehead.

"What's the matter?" asked Ultear. Her hand trailed its way down to his shoulder.

"I'm just wondering if this really the right thing to do," said Freed. "I mean, mercenaries? It's dishonorable, almost worthy of Sabertooth."

The last thing he wanted was to become like the filth from that vile kingdom.

"It's what's best for him," insisted Ultear.

"You're sure?" he asked, hugging his arms close to himself.

"Don't you think so?" she asked. "Freed, she was no good for him. Can you imagine! A common farm girl? Our queen?" tutted Ultear.

"The prince could certainly do better," agreed Freed.

"Of course, he could," said Ultear. "And as his most trusted advisor, if you aren't looking out for his best interests, who is?"

"Who indeed?" agreed Freed. He wanted to do what was best for his kingdom and his king. He had devoted his life to both, so they were his first priority.

"Now, quickly. You _must_ tell the prince," Ultear reminded him. "Make haste. And act as if you knew nothing about any of this."

"Yes, right away," said Freed with a nod. "Will you come with me to deliver this… tragic news?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world," said Ultear, a smile tugging at her lips.

* * *

Jellal had sought an audience with the prince when the head steward rushed into the room. Jellal's own deputy trailed behind.

Right on time.

Jellal and Ultear met eyes. She gave him a slight nod and an almost secretive smile.

"My liege, I have news!" Freed scrambled into the throne room, long limbs flailing.

"What's the matter?" asked Laxus. "Speak up, man."

"Calm yourself, Freed. It isn't like you to be so flustered," said Jellal.

Freed braced his hands against his knees, gasping for breath. He straightened before dropping into a hasty bow before Prince Laxus. "I have news, my liege," he said.

"Yes, yes, get on with it," said Laxus, tapping his finger against his arm impatiently.

["I'm pregnant!" shouted Freed. No, just kidding. Let's save that for _Fifty Mages: Freed._]

"The princess is missing!" cried Freed.

"What?" said Laxus sharply.

"Impossible!" said Jellal, injecting just the appropriate amount of shock into his voice.

"But, my liege—"

"Sire, you do realize that—" interrupted Jellal.

Laxus raised a hand for silence. "What makes you say that? I saw Lucy just this morning at breakfast. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She went for her usual ride right after. She's probably still out."

"Her horse returned to the stables," reported Freed. "Without her."

Jellal and Laxus exchanged glances. Jellal nodded, cuing him to continue.

"This can only mean one thing. The Princess has been kidnapped," declared Laxus. He had delivered the line perfectly.

"Indeed. It can only be the work of the kingdom of Sabertooth," said Jellal.

"No," gasped Freed. "It wasn't… It was—" Freed trailed off, faltering.

Jellal was disappointed, but he kept the emotion off his face. He had thought that a brainless pawn like Freed had more conviction than that.

"Why would Sabertooth attack us?" interjected Ultear, all too innocently.

"We all know how dangerous a kingdom like that is when left unchecked. They are _such_ a treacherous people," commented Jellal.

"That they are," said Freed. "But… but attack Fiore? Why?"

"Can you think of no reason?" asked Jellal.

Freed's expression wavered, his dislike of the Sabertooth kingdom finally winning out. "There _was_ that incident between Prince Laxus and their Princess Minerva a few years ago… Our relationship with them has been tenuous since then."

"That must be it. It comes as no coincidence that this attack comes on the cusp of my marriage to Princess Lucy," decided Laxus. "Minerva's madly jealous. Well, no matter. We'll find the princess, and rescue her from her captors. Then we'll declare war on Sabertooth as a reminder that Fiore is not a kingdom to be trifled with. Freed, have my horse prepared. And yours as well."

"Yes, sire."

"You're going _personally_?" asked Jellal. He hadn't planned on this. He had assumed that he would be the one to spearhead the effort. How could he manage the situation if he hadn't invited?

"Of course," said Laxus. "Lucy is my fiancée, after all. It would only be fitting."

"Let me accompany you," said Jellal. "Or take my deputy, at least."

"No, Freed and I should be enough."

Touché, prince.

* * *

Ultear tailed the prince and his steward, trying to be discrete. It wouldn't do to be discovered.

She followed them out into the courtyard, making sure to catch the prince's eye before slipping into the shadows near the castle.

"My liege?" came Freed's voice.

"I'll be along shortly," Laxus called back.

Good. He'd seen her.

Laxus' footsteps heralded his arrival.

"Ultear?" he asked. "I thought that was you."

Ultear smiled, tipping her head coyly to let her hair fall over her eyes. "You didn't think you could leave without saying goodbye, did you?" she said.

"Ultear…"

Ultear approached him, unabashed. She set her hands on his shoulders before making direct eye contact. Gone was the demureness that she had assumed back in the throne room.

"Come back soon, my liege," purred Ultear, trailing her hands suggestively down his collar.

"I shall," said the prince, his eyes drinking her in. His hands moved to hold her, but she moved away.

Instead, Ultear rose on her toes, leaning in. "I'll be waiting," she whispered, letting her breath slide over the shell of his ear. Then she turned as if to press a kiss just to the side of his mouth, pulling away at the last second.

_That_ would give him something to think about.

She knew his eyes were on her as she left the courtyard, heading back into the castle.

"Sometimes I can't tell when you're acting and when you're serious," said Jellal.

Ultear jolted when she saw Jellal, lurking in an alcove, arms crossed over his chest.

"Worried?" asked Ultear, keeping her tone casual.

"Should I be?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Did he know?

Curse his ability to seek out the truth. That what made him a devilishly effective Head of Espionage. Still it only served to make things all the more difficult.

Admittedly, she still found the trait attractive. It was one of the reasons she had sought him out in the first place, placing herself in his service. But she wasn't a child anymore. Even a mastermind like Jellal had little more to offer her. And that was nothing in comparison to what a man like Laxus could do, with his tremendous wealth and all but unlimited power.

Still, it wouldn't do to tip her hand so soon.

"I have him wrapped around my finger," said Ultear. "Everything will go according to your plan, my love."

"It had better," said Jellal.

She'd have to watch her step. Limited influence or not, Jellal was still a force to be reckoned with.

* * *

Laxus urged his horse towards the cliffside, reining in as he drew near the battle ground. He circled the aftermath, surveying the site.

"There were two fighters here," observed Laxus. "Both were ice mages."

Laxus could tell that it was a well-matched fight, with neither combatant having a strong upper hand for any part of the battle. Eventually one of the two had persevered, however.

"Only two?" asked Freed, his voice tinged with awe. "There's enough destruction here for a dozen men!"

Laxus dismounted, standing in the scene of the scuffle. "This must have been a magnificent battle!" he said. "Here, then here, then here!" he declared, tracing the supposed movements as he pictured the fight. "The victor went this way!"

[Legend has it, the louder you shout something, the truer it becomes. And if you can't shout it, use caps lock.]

Laxus mounted his steed, riding along the path that Jellal had laid out for him. He hadn't been planning on having Lucy kidnapped from his mercenaries, but it certainly didn't hurt things. Today was getting better and better.

All he had really asked for was a way to rid himself of the moody brat of a girl from the turnip farm and to frame Sabertooth for the misdeed. That would teach Minerva and her high-and-mighty father to mess with him. Sabertooth would tremble at the might of Fiore!

Of course, there was more than just a personal vendetta at stake here. No, Laxus did this for the sake of his entire kingdom. Though he couldn't take credit for the scheme.

That had been Jellal's doing. The man truly was brilliant, far more inspired than the insipid Freed. Jellal had orchestrated the entire thing, from the mercenaries to the kidnapping, to the framing of Sabertooth. It had even been his idea to use Freed's blind loyalty to carry out the dastardly deed. If their scheme was discovered, that would leave the poor sap to take the fall, and Laxus could wash his hands of the entire mess. Truly brilliant!

He'd sacrifice a pawn and keep his bishop and his queen close at hand. Yes, his queen. Not the little farm-brat, of course. No, he was referring to Ultear.

She might have been Jellal's deputy, but the beautiful Ultear had the potential to be something far greater. The dark hair and sharp gaze actually reminded him a little bit of Minerva. Though, unlike Minerva, Ultear was trustworthy, loyal, and exceptionally clever. She was soft as silk but had a spine of steel. Those were the makings of a true queen!

"Look, up ahead, sire!" shouted Freed, pointing.

Laxus slowed his horse to a canter, his eyes flitting across the site of another scuffle. For that was all this was. Unlike the sheer destruction of the first fight, this pair of fighters seemed to get part way and just… quit. Had they run out of magic?

"What do you make of it, sire?" asked Freed.

"The assassin from Sabertooth is skilled. We need to be on guard," replied Laxus.

"Are you sure it's just one person?" asked Freed. "You had two people fighting back at the cliff and two more here."

"It's possible that it was a group and they had a falling out," said Laxus, grappling for an excuse. He really didn't care what the real explanation was. It would serve his purpose either way.

As Laxus reached the river, a distinct scent reached his nose. He dismounted again, crouching where an ice pitcher lay melting. He touched the damp ground with two fingers, raising the dirt up to sniff at it.

"Just as I thought," he declared.

"What is it?" asked Freed.

"Etherion."

"No!" gasped Freed.

"You've seen it, same as I have." Laxus nodded, scowling deeply. "The nerve of those Sabertooth scoundrels! They come into Fiore, steal the princess, and now this."

"Then… if they truly…" Freed broke off. "There is no avoiding this war, is there?"

Yes. A war. Now that Fiore was at her full strength, he'd have his revenge on Sabertooth, replace his whiny fiancée with a superior woman and cement his partnership with one of Fiore's most brilliant strategists.

"But that's not important right now," said Laxus. "My fiancée's safety is my first priority."

* * *

**Whew! This is an absolute den of snakes. Did anybody guess that Ultear and Jellal were in cahoots? Then again... they're all kind of out for themselves. :)  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, we left Lucy in the clutches of... the Mage in Black. And now she's all alone: **_"You're Captain Silver, the dread pirate of the seas. Don't try to deny it," said Lucy. "I recognized your ship from the stories. The Absolute Zero. A black ship with sails of ice."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	11. The Captain of the Absolute Zero

**It's Monday! This week, we get to go back to Lucy. And we've got the answer to what the Mage in Black did to Natsu as well.  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lucy gasped, horrified as Natsu slumped and the mage in black rose to his feet, brushing the dirt from his hands as if it were nothing.

"He really is inhuman, isn't he?" said the mage, sounding far too amused. "A good thing too, since even a sip should have been enough to kill a normal person."

"_You're_ inhuman," hissed Lucy, inexplicably angry. "You killed him."

"Doubtful," sighed the mage in black. "Though it really should have. It almost didn't work. He'll be feeling pretty nasty until then, though. And that buys us some time."

"What about Natsu?" she asked, her eyes still on his prone form. She could see the barest rise and fall of his chest if she squinted.

"I'm not taking him with us, if that's what you're asking," said the mage in black.

"But will he be okay?" Lucy wasn't sure why she was asking. He had kidnapped her, after all. But the ever-cheerful Natsu had been kinder than the others, and she could have seen them being friends in another life.

"Are you sympathizing with your captors?" tsked the mage. He gave a snort of amusement.

Lucy's eyes widened. She wondered if the whole talk-til-they-cave tactic had backfired on her. It seemed that _she_ was the one who had started feeling bad for them, not the other way around.

The mage in black sighed. "Once that extra magic works its way through his system, he'll probably be fine, which is more than I can say for myself if things had ended up differently," he admitted grudgingly.

The mage in black dissolved the ice trapping her feet before pulling her roughly by the elbow. She had been kidnapped from her kidnappers. This was _not_ how she planned to spend her day.

Lucy let the strange mage manhandle her without protest. She wasn't sure what she was dealing with, so she needed to be careful. She pretended to stumble, hoping for sympathy. But when she looked in his eyes, she found none. Instead, she was filled with the overwhelming sense of twisted familiarity. It was unsettling.

"Watch your step," sneered the mage in black, his tone sarcastic and almost mocking as he jerked her upright.

"How did you manage to do it?" asked Lucy, trying to keep pace with her new captor. "How did you know that things wouldn't have ended up differently?"

"Excuse me?"

"How did you know?" asked Lucy. "Natsu was switching cups with you…"

"It had nothing to do with the cups," smirked the mage in black.

"I don't understand."

"They were _both_ poisoned," said the mage in black impatiently. "I put the etherion in _the ice_."

Lucy couldn't believe it. "Then when you drank from the pitcher… And then your own glass… You tricked him," she accused. "You uncivilized, _unprincipled_, un…" Lucy trailed off, too furious to speak.

"Unsportsmanlike?" offered the mage in black. He smirked, taking a moment to gloat before he dragged her by the arm. She stumbled along behind him, following to the top of the rocky ridge.

"Who are you?" she demanded, ignoring his vise-like grip on her arm.

"Does it really matter?" he asked. "I mean, I'd say your worst nightmare, but that'd be a bit of a cliché, I think."

They had crested the hill, and looking ahead, the landscape dipped and divotted into rolling hills and deep valleys. Behind them, the ocean had been swallowed up, as if last night had been nothing more than a bad dream.

"Where are you taking me?" asked Lucy.

"Does that really matter?" he repeated, clearly not in the mood to answer questions.

Well, if he wouldn't sympathize, wouldn't converse and wouldn't let her go, that left her with few options. Maybe she could intimidate him.

"No, it doesn't," agreed Lucy. "But Laxus will come for me. He's a dragon slayer. He'll find me no matter _where_ you take me."

He stopped, observing her carefully. "Is that supposed to scare me?"

"You don't know Prince Laxus," insisted Lucy. "He's a fierce leader and he'll move heaven and earth to find me."

"Oh, I'm sure. Your beloved is probably on his way right now," said the mage sardonically.

Lucy stopped in her tracks. "He's not _my _beloved," said Lucy stiffly. "I never said I loved him," she mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"Women. So utterly fickle," said the mage in black, tugging at her wrist. "I wonder if he'll find you worth it, _Milady_."

"Don't you dare mock me!" cried Lucy, tugging back.

"Mock you? _Never_," said the mage in black. He gave her an infuriating grin that made her want to slap him. "What else would you do with someone who says that she doesn't love the man she's about to marry?"

Lucy clenched her fists, her muscles pulling tight like a bowstring. "Laxus knows that I don't love him. He wants to marry me anyways."

"As if you had no say in the matter."

Lucy knew that she didn't owe him any explanation. But for some reason she wanted to talk about Gray. She wanted to share the words that she had kept hidden.

"Laxus knew that my heart belonged to another long before we met," said Lucy, her chest aching as it always did when she thought of Gray.

Those were simpler days. Just the two of them. A boy and a girl. Together.

"Oh? You were the mistress to a wealthy noble?" asked the mage.

Lucy shook her head before bowing it solemnly. "He was just a servant boy," said Lucy softly. "That's all he was. But he was _my_ servant boy. And I _loved_ him," she said, her voice catching.

The mage's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Just what do you know about love?" he sneered.

"We weren't together for very long," she admitted. "Even though he'd worked for on my family's farm for a while, it had been less than a year since I worked up the courage to speak to him. But in those few short months, he and I loved more deeply than others love in their entire lives."

"And what exactly happened to this servant boy of yours?" asked the mage in black. "With your engagement to the prince, he doesn't seem to be in the picture anymore." He grinned, his lips twisting in derision.

"That's because _you_ killed him," spat Lucy, her head snapping upwards as she turned to glare at the mage.

The mage in black blinked in surprise.

"Don't play," said Lucy. "I know who you are."

"And who's that?" asked the mage.

"You're Captain Silver, the dread pirate of the seas. Don't try to deny it," said Lucy. "I recognized your ship from the stories. The_ Absolute Zero_. A black ship with sails of ice."

"And so, I must be," said the mage in black, taking a mocking bow. "After all, if you say it's true, it must be so."

"I'm not afraid of you," whispered Lucy. "You can't hurt me anymore. You took away the only thing I ever cared about."

The mage in black looked on, impassive. "Did I?" he asked glibly.

"You attacked his ship, the_ Juliet_," she accused.

Still nothing. Just a slight raise in his shoulders as the mage in black shrugged.

"Don't you remember, or are you too cruel to know of the lives you've destroyed?!" she cried, her voice breaking.

The mage in black remained silent as Lucy tried to control her sobs.

"I think I might remember _something_," said the mage in black with a shrug.

She turned to him eagerly. "What?"

"You really want to know?"

Lucy nodded. She detested this man. But he was the last person to have seen her beloved. And she'd do anything to hear about Gray's last days.

"The_ Juliet_, you said?" he asked, his hand pressed against his chin thoughtfully. "I remember capturing her and all of her passengers and cargo. There was one guy there that caught my eye. What was his name again?"

"Gray," she whispered.

"That's the one!" crowed the mage in black haughtily. "Yes, I remember now. He was so determined, your servant boy. So foolishly brave. I remember him because of what he said before I killed him. _'I'm sorry,'_ he said. That's what made him memorable. See, most people beg and blubber and try to talk their way out of things. But not your servant boy. No. _'I'm sorry. I can't let you kill me.'"_

Lucy swallowed hard. The mage's imitation of Gray's voice and manner of speech was frighteningly accurate. It hurt to hear his words come out of another person's mouth.

"That was enough to catch my attention. No one had ever just told me what I was or wasn't allowed to do. So I asked why he was so confident, and he said: '_I have someone waiting for me.'_"

Lucy gasped, the tears making her eyes burn.

"I was curious about what sort of person would warrant that sort of a response. So, I asked him, and he told me about the woman he had waiting for him at home. A woman of unparalleled beauty and _devotion_," sneered the mage. "He said: _'Have you ever needed something as much as you need the air to breathe? I gave her my word that I'd return, and I can't let her down. She's waiting for me.'_ Looks like you waited, all right."

"That's not true," said Lucy, shaking her head furiously.

"You know, I'm glad I put him out of his misery," said the mage, grinning, "before he found out what an unfaithful, back-stabbing traitor you really are."

"Shut up. You don't know anything," snapped Lucy. She tightened her hands into fists so tightly that her fingers throbbed.

"You stand here, lecturing me about true love when here you are engaged to marry Prince Laxus. How long did you wait? Did you throw yourself at the prince's feet the moment you found out? Or did you wait an entire week out of respect for your dead lover?" he hissed.

"Gray is the only thing that ever mattered!" shouted Lucy, her voice breaking. "I _died_ the day I found out that he was never coming home!"

The mage opened his mouth to respond but Lucy cut him off.

"Go ahead, try and hurt me with your words! You can't do it! Because there's nothing left to hurt. There's _nothing_ _left_! Gray was everything to me! And he's dead because of _you_," she cried. "And I hope you die, too!"

Blind with rage, Lucy gave him a furious push, her palms slamming against his shoulders. The mage in black stumbled backwards.

His eyes widened in shock as he realized that there was no ground beneath his feet. For an instant, he seemed to be suspended in air, flapping his arms, trying to regain his footing. Then he tumbled backwards, falling over the edge.

His voice echoed back to her as he shouted his response.

"Yes, Milady… As… you… wish…"

* * *

**Looks like the jig is up. While I'm pretty sure most of you have guessed who our mysterious mage in black is, we finally get the official reveal.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, the reunion scene: **_With Gray to steady her, Lucy reached out again and untied the mask, peeling it away from his face. And for the first time, in a long time, she saw the face of the man she had fallen in love with. The man she loved still._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	12. The Reunion Scene

**It's Monday! I mentioned it at the very beginning that there's a sort of joke about the reunion scene of the hero and heroine. The author of the Princess Bride cuts past the reunion scene, saying that his editor thought that it was too long. This scene, obviously, never existed. He was just teasing his readers. The movie, I believe, also cuts through the good part of the reunion with some other excuse. But not us. We're gonna do it. :)  
**

**Irina: Our villains are quite the bunch! I like to pick on them, but Freed most of all. In canon, he strikes me as a bit of a yes-man (to Laxus), so he's not the most interesting person, unless we want to dig into why he's like that. (And maybe someday, I will.) Mazeverse tries to give him another side, but here, we're going to use that trait to its fullest. As for Jellal and Ultear, I'm not sure if I've said this, but I like them good... and I almost like them better bad. XD As for our reunion scene... Read on! :P Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lucy gasped, the mage in black's final words echoing in her head. Her mouth went dry and cottony.

_As you wish..._

There was only one person who would say that.

"Gray?" she shrieked. "Gray!"

No response.

"Oh, my God. What have I done? I think I killed him," she murmured. "Gray, I'm coming!"

Lucy stumbled down the hill, arms and legs flailing as she rushed to her lover's side.

[So, after thinking you killed your sweetheart, what was your plan? To kill yourself trying to double check your work?]

The steep grade sent her sprawling, bouncing painfully down the hill. The rocky terrain tore at her dress and sliced across her bare skin. Lucy hardly felt the bruises and scrapes, her shaking hands numb to the abuse.

Gray. Gray was here.

Her head was spinning, though Lucy wasn't sure if it was from the tumble or her own overwhelm. She forced herself to breathe, keeping the dizzying rush at bay. She scrambled over on her hands and knees, dragging herself next to him.

"Gray? Gray, Gray, talk to me," she begged, tapping at his cheek. "Gray, please."

Gray groaned, his eyes fluttering open.

"_That_, I did _not_ plan for," he muttered.

Lucy gasped, a dry sob catching hold in her chest. "Gray. Gray. Gray…" She repeated his name over and over, cupping her hands around his face. The familiar look in this man's eyes… she knew what that was now. How did she not realize it before?

It was him! It was really him. Gray had come back to her!

"Oh, Lucy," he breathed.

She felt like she was still spinning, still falling, still rolling down the hill, but she was sure that wasn't right. Lucy brought a hand up to cover her face and muffle the emotion that escaped. Was she laughing? Crying? Lucy wasn't sure, though she imagined she was doing a little bit of both.

Gray shifted, sitting up so he could pull her close. His strong arms wrapped around her, smoothing circles into her back. Lucy buried her face into his shoulder, her cheek pressed against his collarbone. Her chest shuddered as emotions overflowed, her eyes welling with tears again. She blinked them away, trying to dry her eyes and compose herself.

"You came back," she whispered. "You came back…"

"Told ya I would, didn't I?" he said.

Lucy rocked back on her heels so she could look at him, _really_ look at him, for the first time in far too long. Her hands shook like autumn leaves as she reached for the mask that obscured his face. The first time, she missed, her unsteady hands falling short of their goal.

Gray captured her hands in his, enveloping them. He squeezed tightly, as if to still the tremors. Gray's thumb trailed circles against the back of her hand, tracing the hills and valleys of her knuckles. Even that barest contact was enough to make her heart feel full to bursting.

With Gray to steady her, Lucy reached out again and untied the mask, peeling it away from his face. And for the first time, in a long time, she saw the face of the man she had fallen in love with. The man she loved still.

"Is this real?" she asked, her voice a breathy whisper.

After years of sadness and loneliness, there was a part of her that didn't dare believe. Was he really here? Or would she wake up to an empty house? Or a loveless marriage and a gilded cage?

"It's real. I'm here. I'm here now," he said.

"Prove it. Show me this is real. Gray," choked Lucy, her voice shaking. "Kiss me."

A slow smile spread across Gray's face. "Yes, Milady."

Gray put a tentative hand beneath Lucy's chin, brushing the pad of his thumb against her jaw before tipping her head back slightly. He looked at her, waiting for further instruction or denial.

Lucy nodded, bobbing her head up and down desperately. A thrill of desperate anticipation danced its way up her spine.

Without hesitation, Gray bent to capture her lips with his. He was soft and tender, just like she remembered.

"As you wish," he whispered, his warm breath ghosting her cheek.

Lucy's barriers crumbled. Unable to keep from crying, she could taste the salt of her own tears as her lips parted and she leaned forward to kiss him again.

His arms tightened around her, cradling her to his chest. His scent, his taste, that familiar warmth. All of it. It felt so right, as if a part of her had come back to life.

In a way, it had.

She kissed him harder. And Gray responded with a passion that she never knew him to possess.

This was her Gray. And he had come back to her.

Lucy had never been happier in her life. She felt like she could touch the stars themselves, if she tried.

When they finally pulled apart, Lucy was smiling so hard she thought her cheeks would split.

"I thought you… I thought you were dead," faltered Lucy.

Gray only chuckled, shaking his head. "True love is unstoppable. No force on heaven or earth could keep us apart."

"Not even death?"

His eyes were sure as he answered her. "Not even death."

She had doubted him, but never again. She gave a watery smile as she nodded furiously, trying not to start crying again.

"Shall we?" he asked.

Lucy took the hand he extended. Gray pulled her to her feet, gently, this time. She stood, stumbling as she lost her footing on the loose rock.

"Are you hurt?" he asked anxiously, eying up the scrapes and bruises she had gotten when she fell down the hill.

Lucy smiled, shaking her head. "When I'm with you, I'm more than just unstoppable. I'm _invincible_. I feel like I could fly!" she laughed.

Gray grinned back, patient and familiar.

"What now?" asked Lucy, following as Gray led them across the ravine.

"It's too steep to go back up. Let's stick to the valley floor until we're out of the valley, then we'll get our bearings and go from there," said Gray.

"And after that?"

"I'm sure we'll figure something out," said Gray.

"Not good enough," said Lucy. "Some of us want to know what to expect next."

"I should think that would be obvious. Like you've kept saying," said Gray, shrugging. "Your Prince Laxus will come."

Lucy gave him a playful slap. "Stop! He's not _my_ Laxus."

"Yes, but he is your prince," said Gray. "You live here. You can't deny that he runs this place."

"I have you back," said Lucy. "I am not going back to him."

"Then you'd better hope that we'd get out of here before he shows up," said Gray.

"How are we going to do that?" asked Lucy.

"We'll run away," said Gray. "Leave the kingdom! We can make it, if we're fast."

"Gray, be sensible," said Lucy. "You said it yourself. He runs the place. He'll find us."

"Then we'll go somewhere where that prince of yours will never think to look," said Gray. "We can head for the border. To Sabertooth. They're our sworn enemies, so Laxus won't be able to come after us there. Who knows? They might even give us asylum."

"Sabertooth?" said Lucy. "But that's… That's on the other side of the Changeling Swamp."

"The Changeling Swamp," repeated Gray. Gray looked thoughtful for a moment. Then his eyes lit up. "Lucy, you're a genius! If we make it to the Changeling Swamp, we'll be fine," said Gray. "We can hide there. Indefinitely if we have to. Laxus would be stupid to follow us in there."

"_We'd_ be stupid to go! We'll never make it. We'll be caught. We'll be killed!" she said, her brow furrowing.

"Oh, Lucy," breathed Gray, a fond expression pulling at his features. He smoothed her cheek gently.

She trapped his hand in hers. "I just got you back. I'm not risking it over this. We'll have to come up with a different plan."

"Lucy, don't you trust me?" said Gray. "I'll take care of you. Just like I always have."

"I know you have, but…"

"But what?" asked Gray.

It was true. Gray had been the one thing that she had been able to rely on, after all these years. He never wavered, never faltered. And he always came back to her, like he had today.

"…Okay," she said. "The Changeling Swamp it is."

Hand in hand, the lovers headed in the direction of the Changeling Swamp.

* * *

The question had been weighing on her mind all afternoon. Lucy finally broke the silence.

"Gray, I have to know. Why didn't you say anything earlier?" asked Lucy. "Why didn't you tell me it was you?"

"I mean, can you blame me? News of your engagement was something of shock to me."

Lucy huffed. "Surely, you didn't believe—"

"Would I have come after you if I had?" Gray pointed out.

"Why the pretense then?" asked Lucy. "It wasn't like you didn't recognize me. The whole Captain Silver charade was just plain cruel."

"Sorry. I had to know for sure," said Gray. "Just because it was you didn't that you still felt the same way."

"Are you sure now?" asked Lucy with a fond eye-roll. She fished her prized wooden locket out from beneath her collar.

"Well, if I wasn't, that kiss put all my doubts to rest. After all—" Gray broke off as he caught sight of the pendant that Lucy had held up. "…That's the locket I made you," said Gray, blinking in surprise.

Lucy smiled, letting it fall back in place, keeping the pendant visible instead of hiding it behind her collar.

"I never take it off. Not the day you left. Not after the_ Juliet_ sank. Not even when I moved to the castle."

Color rose to highlight Gray's cheeks. He looked away, clearing his throat awkwardly. Lucy wasn't sure if he was embarrassed or just flattered. He should have known better than to doubt her.

"It doesn't match," Gray pointed out finally. "Frilly pink dress and that old thing?"

"Do you think I care?" said Lucy.

"I would have thought your lizard fiancé would have taken it away by now."

"He doesn't know I have it," said Lucy. "It was all he could do to get me to stop wearing black. He said that black wasn't flattering."

"I agree," said Gray. "It really isn't your color. It makes you look all pasty and washed out."

Lucy scowled at him. "How is that my fault? You're the one who left me widowed and mourning before we were even married!"

"There'll never be a need for mourning," promised Gray. "I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere. You'll never shed another tear, not when I'm around."

"Speaking of, where _have_ you been? What have you been doing all this time?" asked Lucy.

"Haven't you guessed?" asked Gray, grinning. "You said it yourself earlier."

"Said what?" asked Lucy, shaking her head.

"Believe it or not… I'm Captain Silver."

* * *

**So, how about that for a reunion? You get to decide if it was any good or not. ;)  
**

**You probably can tell that I plan to go off script again in this next part. If I followed the formula, I could do this swamp sequence in a chapter or so. I had to choose between that and doing something that would give us more Gray, more Lucy and a handful of cameos from some fan favorites. Obviously, I chose the latter.**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, Gray's backstory: **_"The Juliet did encounter the Absolute Zero. And after he had taken us onboard, Silver did sink the Juliet. So, you got that part right."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	13. The Legendary Captain Silver

**It's Monday! We've got a little bit of a filler chapter this week - sort of a pause before we get back into the action. Of course, the movie handles this next part the same way, so it's probably not too big a surprise... more details after the chapter.  
**

**BTW, this is our first look at Gray's PoV!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"That's not possible," said Lucy, her eyes growing adorably round. "You can't be Silver. You've only been gone for three years. Silver's been around for much longer than that. He's the one that sank the_ Juliet_. That couldn't have been you."

Gray couldn't help but grin. "See, that's the thing," he said.

"What's the thing?"

"The_ Juliet_ did encounter the _Absolute Zero_. And after he had taken us onboard, Silver did sink the _Juliet_. So, you got that part right."

"Took you onboard? How is that possible? Silver takes no survivors," interrupted Lucy.

"And how do you know that?" asked Gray.

"Everybody knows that," said Lucy. "That's what all the stories say, at least."

"That's all they are. _Stories_," said Gray, waving for emphasis.

"And they're pretty clear. Silver takes no survivors."

"And who's been telling these stories?" asked Gray. "Surely not the people he's killed!"

Lucy frowned. She hadn't thought about that.

"What happened after he took you aboard?" she asked.

"What I told you earlier, about me telling him about you? That part was true," admitted Gray with a lopsided grin. "Since I said I'd do anything, he said he needed a cabin boy. 'It's worth a try, though I probably won't like it. I'll probably kill you tomorrow,' was what he said. During the day, I'd scrub the decks, and mend sails, and help out in the kitchen. Then at night, he'd say, 'Good work, Gray. I'll probably kill you tomorrow.' Just like that."

"Pleasant man," said Lucy, wrinkling her nose.

"It freaked me out pretty good the first time he did it," admitted Gray. "I kept my head down, worked hard, and tried not to draw too much attention to myself. I was happy just to have survived. But after a while, I got used to it. 'Good work, Gray. I'll probably kill you tomorrow.' Every single day. Pretty great, huh?"

"You get excited over the weirdest things," said Lucy, shaking her head.

"But it was exciting," said Gray. "I got to learn all sorts of cool stuff. Sailing and sword fighting. Navigating. How to fire a canon! Silver started taking me under his wing."

"I don't know he's the sort of person I'd want as a mentor," commented Lucy.

"Nah, he's not so bad. A little gruff, but a good guy."

Even now, he wasn't sure why Silver had taken him in and started his magic education. Maybe he'd felt sorry for Gray. Maybe he'd seen a little of himself in him.

"Remember I said I was looking for a new medium?" said Gray. "Well, I found it. Let me see that locket of yours."

Lucy held out the wooden pendant. "Don't break it," she warned him. "I've kept it safe this whole time."

"I won't, I won't." Gray pressed his hands together, his fingers flying like lightning. "There." He gave a satisfied nod. "The key to my heart," he said, grinning.

"That's…" Lucy's eyes lit up as she saw the little key-shaped charm he had added next to the wooden heart. She tapped it with a finger, expression morphing into one of awe when she realized how cold it was.

"Ice," said Gray with a nod. He tried not to show how proud he felt.

"Will it melt?" asked Lucy.

"If you really tried, I'm sure it would," shrugged Gray. "But it's enchanted, so under normal circumstances, it shouldn't."

"That's incredible," said Lucy.

"Silver taught me that. Every morning would start with Silver molding something out of ice. He'd be really obvious about it, see? He wouldn't tell me to watch or anything, he would just do it. Then every night, before bed, he'd say 'Now show me that spell again.' I'd mold the same thing he had that morning. And he'd say, 'Hmph! That's passable.'"

"Every day?" asked Lucy.

"Without fail," said Gray, grinning fondly.

"I swear, this guy sounds like a nutjob," complained Lucy.

"Nah, he wasn't that bad! I actually started looking forward to our challenges. We started with small stuff, like cups and silverware. Eventually, I could even do working canons and the infamous ice sails of the _Absolute Zero_."

"Can you make _anything_ out of ice?" asked Lucy.

"Just about," said Gray. "I prefer tools and weapons, just because they're useful. But if you want, I could even make you an entire ice castle, Milady."

"You could?" she asked. Then her face fell, her expression growing somber. "I mean, let's hold off on castles for now. That doesn't explain how you got to be Silver," said Lucy.

"Simple," said Gray. "The last guy retired."

"Retired?"

"So, one day, Silver calls me to his cabin. This was completely out of the blue, so I was terrified. I wondered if he was really going to kill me this time. But instead, he dropped it on me," said Gray, letting the sentence hang in the air.

"Dropped what?" asked Lucy.

"This is the best part," said Gray. "He said, 'Gray, I'm thinking of retiring.' And that was when he shared the secret with me: 'I'm not the real Silver.'"

"Then who was he?"

"His real name was Shiruba. He used to be a demon slayer, but he took to the seas after losing his wife and son."

"What happened to them?" asked Lucy.

"They died when their village was attacked by a demon. He had been on a demon hunt somewhere else, so he wasn't around to protect them. Blamed himself. I don't think he ever really got over it, poor guy."

"That's so sad," said Lucy.

"Turns out, the sea's a good place to deal with grief," said Gray. "Actually, he told me that I reminded him a little bit of his son. Kid would have been my age if he had lived. Weird, huh?"

"Do you think that's why he started teaching you?" asked Lucy.

"Maybe," said Gray. "I mean, it makes sense, right? Between losing his true love himself and having a son that would have looked like me. I'd imagine he'd be sympathetic. Anyways, he said, 'I'm not the real Silver.'"

"Then who was he?"

"I'm getting there. I was pretty confused too. Until he said: 'I became Silver when the last Silver retired. He gave the _Absolute Zero_ to me, just like I'm about to give it to you.'"

"The last Silver?" asked Lucy. "But I thought you said Shiruba was the last Silver."

"Nope. Shiruba wasn't the real Silver either," said Gray. "He was Silver before me, but he inherited it from some guy called Velveno when _he_ quit pirating. Don't know why _he_ retired. Shiruba wasn't really sure. He thinks Velveno retired to spend time with some girl. Aceto, or something."

"Countess Aceto? As in the late Count Balsamico's daughter?"

"I don't know. Maybe," said Gray.

"It's not a common name," said Lucy. "It has to be the same person. They said she eloped with a thief."

"Thief. Pirate. Same difference," shrugged Gray.

"So, who was the first Silver?" asked Lucy. "I mean the original one."

"No one knows," said Gray. "Some people say that he was actually a _she_. I mean, Eve is a girl's name, after all. But, again, not really sure if he/she/it was actually the first Silver or if they inherited the name from somebody else."

"That's… really confusing," said Lucy.

"Definitely," said Gray. "But you get it right? See, it's not about the person doing the pirating. It's the _name_ that everyone's afraid of. Nobody in their right mind would surrender to Captain Gray. I mean, what is _Gray_? That's a color. But Captain Silver, I mean that's a real pirate name."

"Silver's a color too, you know," Lucy pointed out.

"Yeah, but Silver sounds pirate-y and intimidating, y'know?" said Gray. "Anyways, we made port and dismissed the entire crew. Then we hired a brand-new crew. Shiruba stayed on as my first mate, helping me keep the illusion that I was the real Silver. First, original, un-dead from the dawn of time. And after everyone was bought in, and they believed this, and I had everything under control, I killed him."

"You _what_?!" squeaked Lucy.

"No, no, I didn't _really_ kill him," explained Gray. "I let him retire. But he couldn't just disappear in the night. Not without an explanation. First mate's a pretty visible position, see? Faking his death was the most plausible option. So, I 'executed' him. Captain Silver remained the most fearsome and bloodthirsty pirate to sail the seas. Take no prisoners and all that, except for when we did, of course. And the rest is history."

Lucy gave a polite nod, looking slightly confused. But it didn't matter. That was then, and this was now. Now, they had the future to think of. And Gray wasn't sure that future involved piracy as the fearsome Captain Silver.

* * *

**So, here's a little behind the scenes for you guys. My original plan was to do a flashback and show Gray aboard the Absolute Zero. I love pirates! But I really wanted to have more Gray and Lucy interactions (gotta make up for lost time), so I ended up doing it as a conversation.  
**

**Other fun fact, the last Captain Silver's name, '****Shiruba' is actually the romanization of Gray's father's name (without the diacritical vowel-stress markings), as given by the FT wiki. My head canon is that the previous Captain Silver is actually Gray's dad and neither really knows.  
**

**We're just over a third of the way through this fic, and we're going to start to see me take a few more liberties and put my own spin on the Princess Bride's plot, starting next week.**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, Gray and Lucy's resolve is tested in the Changeling Swamp: **_"Yeah, but… Okay, if you're so smart. Why do you think it happened? How did this place get to be called the Changeling Swamp?" she challenged._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	14. The (First) Changeling

**It's Monday!**

**And today we head into the Changeling Swamp.**

**Irina: I'll confess, these two don't normally make my top ships list either, but this was an interesting diversion. As for Gray and Silver, one day I'll have to write a story where they actually interact. We got a little bit of that in the anime, but it would be a fun AU topic. Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Laxus reined in his horse just as they crested the hill. They were getting closer. Once he caught up with Lucy, the sooner they could put an end to this charade.

"Look there," said Freed, pointing.

"Some sort of altercation," observed Laxus. "Two people. One much smaller than the other."

"With respect, my liege," said Freed. "Do you really see the princess as being a fighter?"

"She did grow up on a farm," he said.

"But all the same, Sire. I don't think—"

"Two people," repeated Laxus. "Some sort of confrontation here. And both of them tumble down this hill."

Laxus jerked his head in the direction of the ravine before urging his horse forward. The stubborn beast didn't want to move, so Laxus yanked on the bridle hard to force the animal to do his bidding. They made their way to the bottom of the ravine. He took in the trampled grass and the displaced rocks.

"They were definitely here," said Laxus.

"Where are they now?" asked Freed. "Where would they have gone?"

Laxus paused to consider it. "An assassin from Sabertooth is probably heading back towards their homeland."

"The border then?"

"I'd bet my crown on it," said Laxus. "Let's head back to the top of the ridge. We can cut them off at the Changeling Swamp."

* * *

The sky was growing dusky when they made their way out of the ravine. Lucy could see the Changeling Swamp before them.

"We made it!" she cheered.

"I'm surprised that he hasn't caught up with us yet," said Gray, looking over his shoulder.

"Really, Gray? Can't you be positive, for once?"

"Just sayin'," said Gray.

"Don't say that, Gray. Don't say _anything_. You're going to jinx us," she said. "We've got a head start. Maybe we won't run into him at all."

"He's on horseback," said Gray.

"How do you know that?" countered Lucy. "You've never met the guy."

"It's in the manual," said Gray. "Princes are always on horseback. Besides, do you think he'd come looking for you on foot?"

"He's got the carriage," Lucy pointed out.

"For roads and stuff. We're out here in the middle of nowhere. The carriage wouldn't be a good choice. He'll just bend an axle or something."

The sound of hoofbeats overhead drew Lucy's attention. Her heart sank.

"Look up there!" said Lucy.

Laxus and Freed were on the cliff above them, on horseback, as Gray had predicted.

Without a word, Gray snatched Lucy's hand as he started running toward the Changeling Swamp.

"Do you think they saw us?" she asked.

"Of course, they did!" said Gray. "_That's_ in the manual too. The good guy barely manages to get away."

"Stop right there! You'll never get away, Sabertooth scum!" Laxus shouted.

"See, called it," said Gray.

"You mean you jinxed us!" said Lucy, scampering to keep up.

"After them! Quickly now!" declared Laxus.

"Hurry," said Lucy. "Let's head for the swamp!"

As they entered the dense growth of the swamp, they slowed, catching their breath. Lucy hadn't run like that since her days at the farm.

"I think we're in the clear," said Gray. "It'll be harder for them to follow on horseback," agreed Gray. "I'd actually like to see him try it."

"No, you _wouldn't_," said Lucy. "Don't jinx us."

Gray just smirked, making Lucy roll her eyes.

"So… this is the infamous Changeling Swamp," said Lucy. "You know why they call it that, right? The old stories say that people who enter the swamp end up changing. Men enter, but when they leave, they're more beast than man," she whispered.

Gray chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"What is it with you and wives' tales? First the legend of Silver, now werewolves? Lucy, those are just stories!"

"You don't believe in werewolves?" she asked.

"Nope," said Gray with a flippant wave of his hand. "At this point, I'm not about to believe just _any_ story or legend. I am one, myself, aren't I?" he asked, thumping his chest.

"Yeah, but… Okay, if you're so smart. Why do you think it happened? How did this place get to be called the Changeling Swamp?" she challenged.

"What do I think?" Gray paused, as if pondering the idea. "I think there are changelings _in_ the swamp," he said.

"What?"

"Horrible swamp creatures. Slimy and oozing," Gray's voice dipped, low and unpleasant. He raised his hands in a facsimile of claws as he grinned. "They creep through the night. Hideously disfigured. Come to snatch people away!" he shouted, lunging at her.

Lucy shrieked.

Gray snickered, lowering his hands. "Oh, you should see your face!" he laughed.

"You jerk!" cried Lucy, shoving him with her palms.

"Whoa. Are you trying to kill me again?"

"Don't give me that," she retorted. "Clearly, you can't be killed."

"Nice thing to say to your boyfriend after he comes back from the dead," protested Gray.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Gosh, this place gives me the creeps," she complained, hugging her arms around herself.

"We'll be fine," said Gray. "Whatever it is, we just have to stick together."

Lucy felt Gray's fingers lace with hers as they wandered further into the swamp.

After a while, the swamp grew thick around them and swampy water reached halfway to her knees.

Lucy froze when an eerie croak reached her ears. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

"Gray, stop it," she snapped, suppressing a shiver.

"Stop what?"

"That noise."

"What noise?" he asked.

"You're trying to scare me again."

"It's not me."

Lucy heard the croaking noise again.

"Seriously, stop."

"I told you, it's not me!" said Gray.

Lucy gave a growl of frustration, shoving him again.

"Wha—Hey!" Gray windmilled, trying to keep his balance. He landed in the murky water with a resounding splash.

From beside him rose a large, bulbous creature with two googly eyes atop its head, like a frog. With a startled yell, Gray scuttled back on his hands and feet, sloshing through the swampy water.

"W-who's trespassing in my s-swamp?" asked the creature, its voice warbling.

"Oh, my God, it's a hideous creature!" shrieked Lucy.

"Where? Where?!" cried the frog-creature, in genuine panic.

"And it talks!"

"Oh, you mean me… I'm not a hideous creature, silly!" cried the frog indignantly. "I'm Lisanna."

"Lisanna, huh?" asked Gray, standing up. "What exactly are you, Lisanna? Some kind of a frog?"

Lisanna shook her froggy head. "I'm a changeling," she said.

"A changeling?" repeated Lucy.

"Well, this _is_ the Changeling Swamp. Duh," said Lisanna.

"Were you always a changeling?" asked Lucy. "Or did you used to be, y'know…"

"What?" asked Lisanna.

"… human," whispered Lucy.

"Oh, that. I'm not cursed or anything. Nope, I've been like this for as long as I can remember. I'm not always a frog, though," she supplied. "I can look human sometimes."

"Really?" asked Gray.

"Yeah, wanna see?" she asked.

Gray and Lucy exchanged glances.

"Oh, come on. It's fun!" coaxed Lisanna, waving a webbed hand at them.

"Go for it," said Gray.

The frog crunched her brow and puffed out her cheeks. She gave a little ribbit of exertion. Then with a golden glow and a puff of smoke, Lisanna the frog was gone. In her place stood a teenage girl with ash-blonde hair.

"Ta-da," she sang out, bowing.

"Wow," said Lucy. "You're really pretty."

"Excuse me?" squawked Lisanna, her features shifting in irritation.

"You're really pretty as a human," offered Lucy. "You should transform more often."

"I was prettier the other way!" cried Lisanna. "Humans are so gross. Pale and knobby and fragile." Lisanna shuddered, sticking her tongue out. "Ugh. Why would anybody want to look like _this_ all the time?" She glared down at her humanoid body.

Lisanna reverted in a puff of smoke, looking a lot more at home half-submerged in swamp water.

"Oh, sorry! No offense or anything," amended Lisanna. "I pretty much just described _you_, didn't I? Well, don't worry about it. I'm sure you're pretty by human standards. Just because _I_ think it's ugly doesn't mean that you actually are."

Lucy blinked in surprise. Did the frog-girl just insult her?

Gray laughed.

"Not funny," pouted Lucy, elbowing him in the side.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just… Do you realize how ridiculous this is? We're running from your fiancé and hiding out in this swamp. You're getting worked up because some frog-girl called you ugly."

"I didn't mean that, I promise," said Lisanna. "I mean, I bet your boyfriend here doesn't think you're ugly, right?"

"Stop while you're ahead," growled Lucy. "You're just making it worse."

"Fine, fine," said Lisanna. "Just for that, I'll have to let you pass."

"Let us pass? Was this a test?" asked Gray.

"Oh, no. Not like that kind of pass," said Lisanna. "Like pass through. I'm one of the swamp's guardians, see. Didn't I say that earlier?"

"I don't think you mentioned it, no," said Gray.

"Too busy insulting me," muttered Lucy.

"I said I was sorry, didn't I?" said Lisanna. "I'm one of the three changeling guardians who protects the swamp from trespassers. When intruders—that would be _you_—get lost in the swamp, I'm supposed to challenge them and possibly scare them off."

[Look out! Beware the cute little frog!]

"You mean, fight them?" asked Gray.

"That's not really my style," said Lisanna. "There are other ways to challenge people, you know."

"Like what?" asked Lucy.

"Riddles, feats of daring, who can hold their breath under water the longest, that sort of thing," shrugged Lisanna.

"That's got to be a huge responsibility," said Gray.

"Well, I think this whole thing is kinda stupid," said Lisanna. "Who wants to spend the whole day guarding a dumb old swamp anyways? It's not like anybody actually wants to stay in our swamp. They're just passing through. Normally, I just make them dance a jig or something and send them on their way."

Gray gave her a leery look. "…you're not going to…?"

"Oh, no. Like I said, I already gave you a pass. Besides, if they have a problem with it, one of the other guardians will stop you. Just don't tell them that I let you off easy."

"Who are the other guardians?" asked Lucy.

"My brother and sister," said Lisanna.

"Are they frogs, like you?"

Lisanna shook her head. "No, they have their own changeling forms. Elf's really cool. And there's Mira. She's impressive."

"They sound scary," said Gray carefully.

"They're not scary!" sang Lisanna. "At least, I don't think so. Big brother Elf is the nicest person! You'll probably meet him next."

"Well, I guess we should go look for your brother, then," said Gray. "It was good meeting you, Lisanna."

"Good luck!" called Lisanna cheerfully.

* * *

**Okay, you got me... I traded the swamp obstacles for the Strauss siblings. ;P No, they're not all as easy-going as Lisanna.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, Elfman: **_"I think you should stop talking and take your beating like a real man." The beast swiped, it's powerful arm nearly detaching Gray's head. Gray ducked just in time._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	15. The Elf Man

**It's Monday! So the Strauss swamp saga continues with... (as the title said) The Elf Man.  
**

**Irina: In the film, there are three different trials in the swamp. They didn't make sense to me, at least not in this format. They were far more impressive on screen than in text. Now... Lisanna is a sweetheart. As for her siblings, I guess it depends on what you're into. :P And I'm glad _Xebec_ entertained you. Introducing people to new ships (or getting them to give old ones a second chance) is #LifeGoals. I would definitely give drabbles another try in the future. Thanks!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"That was… interesting," said Gray, as soon as Lisanna was out of earshot.

"I'll be glad when we're out of here," said Lucy.

With the frog-girl behind them, they sloshed their way deeper into the swamp. Water had seeped into his boots and soaked its way up his shirt.

It was cold and unpleasant, but Gray was used to it. Years at sea had accustomed him to the chill and the dampness. Besides, it could be worse.

"Oh, come on. Cheer up," said Gray. "Now we know why this is called the Changeling Swamp. We've met the changeling. How much worse could it get?"

"This is new," remarked Lucy.

"What is?" asked Gray.

"You're being optimistic, for once? What about her brother and sister?" asked Lucy, planting a hand on her hip.

Gray shrugged. "Fifty-fifty," he said.

"Fifty-fifty?" echoed Lucy.

"Fifty percent chance that she was making it up," said Gray.

Or not.

Gray caught movement out of the corner of his eye. A large, hulking figure moved through the mist. It officially got worse.

"Why would she do that?" asked Lucy, who didn't seem to notice the approaching figure.

"She lives here," said Gray. "Would _you_ want random people trashing your place? No. You'd threaten them with a father or a big brother, so they'd play nice," he said, trying to sound reasonable and reassuring. The last thing he needed was to freak Lucy out.

He caught hold of Lucy's hand, pulling her along, trying to keep the _thing_ in his line of sight. If they were fast, they wouldn't run into… well, whatever this was. He really didn't want to fight it if he didn't have to.

"You don't think they're real," accused Lucy.

Gray glanced back at the incoming figure. Through the gloom, Gray could just make out its wild mane and two wicked horns that jutted up from its skull. It looked pretty real.

"Like I said, fifty-fifty," lied Gray, locking eyes with the beast. He pulled at Lucy insistently, trying to get her to move faster. "For all we know, Lisanna may be the only changeling in the swamp. That could just be a story to keep everyone on their best behavior until they get out of here," he lied.

An inhuman yowl split his eardrums. The ground shook as the beast bounded over, sloshing across the marshy ground to tower over them. Gray found himself staring straight at the creature's knees. It had the claws of a cockatoo, curving into five rigid, black talons that looked like they could shred him without too much effort.

"Of course, that leaves a fifty-percent chance that everything she said was true," added Gray, shouldering in front of Lucy protectively.

Lucy whimpered, clinging onto Gray's arm. "I think I liked frog-girl better," gulped Lucy, her voice squeaking.

"Who's trespassing in my swamp?" growled the beast, eying them up as if they were something to eat.

"Are you Big Brother Elf?" Gray tried.

"Who wants to know?" asked the beast, his voice low and grating.

"The trespassers," said Gray.

"_Gray_!" hissed Lucy.

"You think you're clever," snarled the beast, clenching his massive fists. The wiry, red fur that covered its bulging arms and back bristled at the creature's irritation.

"That really depends," said Gray. "Does that mean that you'll challenge us to a battle of wits? I'd totally be okay with that. Or we could see who can hold their breath underwater longer."

"I don't think so, puny human."

"Okay, your game, your rules," conceded Gray. "I know that you're supposed to challenge us. What do you propose?"

"I think you should stop talking and take your beating like a real man."

The beast swiped, it's powerful arm nearly detaching Gray's head. Gray ducked just in time.

"Stay behind me, Lucy," said Gray, his magic at the ready.

"Oh, be careful," breathed Lucy.

"I got this," he said. "Relax."

Gray kept to his toes, his movements light, as he dodged the creature's attacks.

How was he going to counter this one? The beast wasn't like the ice mage or the swords man or even the dragon slayer. They were obviously human, and none of them were significantly stronger than he was. The beast, on the other hand, was definitely stronger. Gray wouldn't be able to win with brute force, not against an actual brute.

The beast didn't have any obvious weak spots either. Between the horns on its head and the thick fur that covered its torso, there wasn't much that one of Gray's ice weapons would be able to penetrate. Even its abdomen was armored with a thick wall of muscle, leaving no vulnerable underbelly to exploit.

What he needed was a distraction.

The beast punched again, but Gray danced out of the way. He formed a large hammer out of his ice, swinging it through the air, just out of reach of the monster.

With a cry of frustration, the beast swung wildly, trying to keep up with the mallet as it sped through the air. Eventually, he managed to catch hold of it, shattering it beneath powerful claws.

With the beast distracted, Gray pressed his hands together, trapping the beast in a cage.

"What do you have to say to that, huh?" he gloated. That was surprisingly easy.

"Oh, you think this is funny, do you?" snarled the beast. He grabbed for the bars of the cage, shaking them with all his might. With a furious roar, the beast crushed the bars, smashing his way out of the ice cage as if it had been made of glass.

Gray swore. If ice couldn't contain him, then—

The air left Gray's lungs in a whoosh as a gargantuan fist closed around his middle. His arms were caught, pinned awkwardly against his side. Gray struggled, trying to get free. He was useless without his hands!

"Don't you touch him!" Lucy cried, planting herself before the creature. Was she trying to fight this monster?

"Lucy, no!" he croaked. "Run! Get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

There was a sickening snap as a sharp pain shot through his right arm. Gray cried out, his vision darkening for a second as white stars flashed across his eyes.

"Gray!" shrieked Lucy.

"I'm… okay," he gasped. "Don't worry about me. Just go!" His arm was definitely broken, but that was the least of his problems. There was no way to get free, and there was no way to help Lucy.

"No! I won't. I won't leave you!"

The pressure around his chest increased. Then something gave. _Snap_. _Snap_! Pain flared at his side. He struggled to draw in air.

"Run…" he tried to say. But he couldn't. His voice was barely a whisper.

His lungs burned. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't breathe. Air…

"You're killing him! Put him down! Please!" sobbed Lucy. "_Please_…"

"Aren't you going to listen to your boy?" snarled the beast.

Lucy's voice seemed distant. She was crying. "If he dies, then I die too," she declared. "Do what you want to me. I'm not losing him. Not again."

Oh, Lucy. Gray would have smiled if they weren't so screwed. Brave, beautiful, stupid Lucy. For God's sake, just run! He would have told her as much if he had the air to do so. But it was all he could do to keep himself from passing out.

"Why would you do something like that?" asked the beast.

"Because… I love him," whispered Lucy. "Gray is my true love and I am not going to leave him."

Suddenly, the pressure at his chest loosened. Gray gave a desperate gasp, filling his lungs with as much air as he could handle, trying to ignore the agony in his side. Gray felt himself being lowered to the ground. The swamp floor was cold and damp through his shirt.

"L-Lucy?" he panted. He blinked up, feeling hazy and still a little breathless.

Lucy's face faded into view. "It's okay. I'm here," she said, squeezing his fingers. "I'm right here."

"The beast?"

Lucy nodded toward the spot the beast had stood. Gray turned his head to the side. Where the ferocious beast once stood, was a man. Still a giant of a man, but nowhere near as terrifying as the monster had been. He was hunched over, sobbing into his hands. "That's the most… beautiful thing… I've ever seen…" the beast cried. "True love… is beautiful! All right. All right. Y-you may pass," he sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

Still in tears, the man retreated.

"Wait!" called Lucy. "You're just the second guardian, right? Who's the last one?"

"Just Big Sis," sniffled the beast.

"Is that Elf?'" asked Lucy.

"No, _I'm _Elf," he said. He wiped his arm across his face.

Somewhere through the pain-induced haze, Gray couldn't help but notice that this giant of a man was as un-elflike as he could get.

"What's she like?" asked Lucy. "Oh, come on. After this, I think you owe us that much," she wheedled.

"I let you off because I felt bad. I don't owe you anything," Elf reminded them. "Don't worry, now that you've gotten past me, Big Sis isn't anything to worry about," he added, sniffling.

With that, the Elf-man disappeared back into the mist from whence he had come.

"When you say stuff like that, it makes me wonder," muttered Lucy.

Gray tried to sit up, a low groan escaping the back of his throat. Everything hurt and he couldn't take too deep a breath.

"Careful," said Lucy.

Lucy supported his head and shoulders as she maneuvered Gray into a sitting position. His ribs shifted painfully. Gray hissed, pressing a hand to his side.

"Gray?" she asked anxiously, her forehead furrowed.

"Might have cracked a rib. Or two," he grunted, remembering feeling two of them buckle beneath the monster's fist. Actually, he was pretty sure they were more than just cracked, but he wasn't about to say so.

Gently, Gray tried to move his right arm, already knowing what would happen. Even he could see that it was at an odd angle, not lying right. Gray hissed, cradling it to his chest with a grimace.

"Are you okay?" asked Lucy anxiously.

Gray nodded tersely.

"What about your arm?"

"Broken, I think."

With his uninjured left hand, Gray molded a sheet of ice along his side, letting the cold take the edge off the pain. He maneuvered his injured arm similarly, casting a sling to keep the pressure off of it.

One-handed ice wasn't as strong, but it would serve its purpose. He was looking for relief, not protection.

"Are you ready to get going?" he asked.

Lucy's expression was grim. "We… we should stop," she said."

"And do what?" asked Gray.

"What do you mean, do what? You're hurt."

"Sitting here isn't going to fix it," he said. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

Lucy shook her head.

"What happened to that life we wanted?" he asked. "That castle that I'd build for you."

"I don't want any of that," said Lucy, shaking her head. "Not anymore."

"What do you want, then?" asked Gray gently.

"All I want is to be able to spend the rest of my life with you," said Lucy. "It doesn't matter if we live in a castle or on a turnip farm. We could even spend the rest of our life in this swamp! I don't care. So long as you're with me, Gray. We are not doing this anymore!"

"I think we can do better than a swamp," said Gray.

"You said that last time," Lucy reminded him. "And look where we ended up."

"We ended up together," said Gray. "'Ain't nothing wrong with that," he said quietly.

Lucy still looked uncertain.

"We've met two of the three guardians," he said. "So, we're more than half way through. Once we're out of the Changeling Swamp, we're home free. We're almost there. And then we'll be able to have a life together."

"Yeah?" asked Lucy.

"Believe in me, Lucy. Believe in us. We'll make it. But we have to keep going."

"Okay. Let's keep going."

* * *

**Ooh, a little drama here. With Gray injured, hopefully 'Big Sis' is merciful.  
**

**For my film junkies, Elfman is my answer to one particular canon swamp-trial. And now that I've admitted that, then maybe you can answer a question for me. I could have sworn that our hero was entirely aware of this particular beast (in the film). He looked right at it and started pulling his lady love in the other direction whilst insisting that it wasn't real (which is why I wrote this chapter the way I did). Ed, who betas for me (and publishes the occasional fic here), insists that the hero had no idea that the beast was there, and that it got the jump on him. What do you guys think? Tell us who's right. (Yes, we're going to poll the audience instead of doing the logical thing and just watching the clip together to settle the disagreement, lol.)  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, the oldest Strauss sibling and final swamp guardian: **_"Look, I've got one good arm. I can still mold. I can take her."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	16. Big Sis

**It's Monday! Mirajane's Marvelous Monday... she's our last and final swamp guardian.  
**

**Irina: Elf is a softie. Shame he couldn't have figured that up _before_ he hurt Gray... :) But better late than never! Thanks again! **

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Laxus watched as his troublesome fiancée ran off with a man clad in black. He wondered if he was one of the kidnappers that Freed had hired or if he was someone else. Laxus suspected the latter. Freed was excitable, so if it had been one of Freed's assassins, his face would have shown that plainly. His reaction was far too stoic for that to have been the case.

No matter.

Laxus needed to frame Sabertooth, and this man would serve that role just as well.

"Just as I thought," said Laxus, pretending that all was going according to plan. Or rather, continuing with the plan and pretending to 'discover' the assassin in the act. "They're heading into the Changeling Swamp."

"Are you really planning on following them?" asked Freed.

"No, we'll cut them off on the other side. Time to put an end to this charade," he said, even though, in his mind, the game was just beginning. "Quickly, Freed!"

* * *

"Shouldn't a swamp be darkest at the center?" asked Lucy.

"Hm?"

Gray had been getting more and more distracted as they ventured though the swamp. His injuries were probably affecting more than he would care to admit, but Lucy could see right through his bravado.

"It's too dark," said Lucy.

"Scared?" he asked lightly. He sounded like he was a little out of breath, probably because of his broken ribs.

"No, just confused," said Lucy.

She couldn't afford to be scared at this point. With Gray hurt, she had to be the one to get them out of the swamp. As much as she trusted him, it wasn't fair for him to have to shoulder all the responsibility. She had to do her part.

"It's probably nothing," he said. "Must be getting late. It's after midnight at least."

"I can still see the moon," she pointed out.

"Storm?"

"Maybe."

Something about this wasn't natural. In the pit of her gut, Lucy worried that this was the work of 'Big Sis', whoever she was. The cute name didn't fool her. Given the fact that Gray had been so badly beaten by the Elf-man, the oldest changeling was probably the most terrible of them all.

Behind them, Lucy sensed a dark aura. She whirled around, finding herself staring into the eyes of a creature that was as beautiful as she was horrible.

Right away, Lucy knew that this was 'Big Sis.'

Big Sis was beautiful, with pure white hair that swirled around her like a halo. Her eyes were a piercing, dark blue. She seemed human-like and she would have reminded Lucy of an angel, but dark veins marbled her pale skin. Her wings were blacker than night. The human appearance was further marred by pointed ears and a scaly lizard-like tail.

Big Sis was no angel. She was pure demon.

Lucy's mouth opened, but no sound came out, her gasp stuck in her throat.

"Who's trespassing in my swamp?" the She-Devil leered, her voice like liquid evil.

Gray stepped forward, starting to shoulder Lucy out of the way again. Was he trying to get himself killed?

Lucy made a grab for her reckless lover. "Gray, no. You're hurt."

"I can take her," Gray insisted.

"Don't."

"I've had worse."

"You're back from the dead. That doesn't mean much," said Lucy.

The She-Devil chuckled. "My, aren't you entertaining?"

"Wasn't actually dead," Gray reminded her impatiently. "Look, I've got one good arm. I can still mold. I can take her."

Lucy shook her head furiously. "Come up with something else."

"Well, what then?" asked Gray.

"Let me handle this one," said Lucy.

"And what are you going to do?" asked Gray. "Talk her to death? You can't be planning to fight her."

"Then come up with something else," insisted Lucy. "Otherwise, I have no choice."

Gray sighed before turning toward the She-Devil. "As the lady has pointed out, I'm in no state to fight you."

"Well, that's too bad," simpered the She-Devil.

"So, I was thinking, maybe we could work something out," said Gray.

The She-Devil rolled her eyes. "Maybe I could crush your skull. You, know, make it match the rest of your body."

"Come on," said Gray. "I'm sure we can talk things through. Parlay."

"No deal," said the She-Devil. "I don't much like talking."

Lucy's eyes widened. Talking.

Gray's words from before echoed in her head. _What are you going to do? Talk her to death?_

The retort had stung, but it was actually a good idea. This wasn't that much different than a kidnapping. If hostage-takers could be talked into surrender, or to distraction, there was no reason this changeling couldn't.

Besides, she might not have been a fighter, but talking was one thing that Lucy _could_ do.

"Why don't we skip right to the part where I—" started the She-devil.

Lucy bounced to her feet. "You've got nothing on us, lady! We've got true love on our side."

"What are you doing?" hissed Gray. "Lucy? _Lucy_!"

"I've got a plan," she whispered.

The She-Devil threw her head back and laughed. The sound reminded Lucy of metal grating against metal.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do you? Well, let me tell you. We've faced an ice wizard and a fire mage. We even defeated a really scary lady warrior. Hoo-wee, let me tell you! She was scary. Possibly scarier than you. Okay, maybe not quite," rambled Lucy.

She continued on until her mouth was dry and her throat was hoarse. She wasn't even sure if she made sense anymore. But it didn't matter.

Lucy talked.

"…And a ship. With sails of ice. The _Juliet_. Which sank to the bottom of the ocean. And even the goddess of the sea, with her water magic…"

And talked.

"…And true love. Which is unstoppable, even by death. Gray came back. For me. Because he loves me."

And talked.

"…and turnips. Turnip cake and turnip custard and turnip stew. And then Gray said—"

"Stop. Stop! STOP!" barked the She-Devil. "Good grief! Do you ever stop? You're giving me a headache."

Lucy grinned. "The power of love triumphs again! Not even—"

"Enough of your love talk!" she growled.

"Really?" asked Lucy.

"Just get out of my swamp!" she said. "Go on. _Leave_."

"Yeah. Okay!" Lucy scrambled to grab Gray's hand and pull him along as quickly as she could, trying to be mindful of his injuries. Lucy looked over her shoulder. The She-Devil had disappeared.

"That was your plan?" he asked, shaking his head in bewilderment. "Did you literally just talk her into submission?"

"I can't believe it worked," she breathed.

"Well…? Good job. You totally saved us back there," he said.

"I know," said Lucy. "I have a good idea every once in a while! Princess 101," said Lucy cheerfully. "When in doubt, run your mouth. Works every time."

[She's just being modest.]

As they passed the third guardian's checkpoint, the swamp brightened considerably. Soon, they had reached the edge of the swamp.

"How're you holding up?" she asked.

"I'm all right," said Gray, giving her a tight smile. He moved gingerly, his injuries slowing his movements.

Lucy frowned. Gray was anything but all right.

"Don't worry so much, yeah? That's the Sabertooth border," said Gray, a grin on his weary face. "Once we're on the other side…"

"It can't happen soon enough," said Lucy.

Hand in hand, Lucy and Gray stumbled out of the Changeling Swamp.

The had made it. Sabertooth was just on the other side of that river.

"See? What did I tell ya? Piece of cake," said Gray, as though trying to rally his strength with false bravado.

There wasn't much else she could do to help him, so Lucy played along, allowing him to pretend. "Say that after we get to the other side," she retorted, hiding her worry by keeping her tone playful.

The sound of hoofbeats made her stop. Her heart sank as Laxus and Freed approached, cutting them off by blocking their path.

No, no, no! This wasn't right. This couldn't happen. Not when they were so close!

Next to her, Gray swore under his breath.

"Surrender!" roared Laxus, imposing atop his noble steed.

"You will? That was easy," said Gray. "Oh, you meant for _me_ to surrender? Yeah, I don't think so."

Laxus bristled. "Do not mock me."

"Who's mocking?" asked Gray, wearing his most infuriating smirk.

"_Gray_!" scolded Lucy. "Now's not the time."

"I'm being completely serious," said Gray.

"I said, surrender!" snarled Laxus.

"I heard you just fine the first time," said Gray evenly. "I'm just not going to do it."

"Don't be a fool!" scoffed Laxus. "We have you surrounded. Where do you think you're going to go?"

"Gee, I don't know; how 'bout the Changeling Swamp," said Gray. "We know how to survive there. Indefinitely if we needed to. Who's the fool now?" he challenged.

"You're bluffing," said Laxus.

"Am I? Or should we find out?" asked Gray. "While you were busy chickening out and cutting around the Changeling swamp, we went _through_ it. I'm on good terms with the swamp guardians now. They'll protect us. I doubt they'll do the same for you."

"You talk a lot for someone who's about to be crushed," said Laxus.

"If it's a fight you want, you're gonna get one." Gray winced as he extended his uninjured hand, sparks of ice magic dancing at his fingertips. He let out a sharp exhale, keeping his broken arm tucked next to his side, guarding his injured ribs.

"Oh, you're a mage!" said Laxus sarcastically, readying his own magic. "So am I."

She had to do something. She had to stop this before Gray and Laxus attacked one another. In another world, she'd be curious who would win. But here, today, she couldn't.

From what she knew of Laxus, he wasn't the type to fight fair. Laxus was the type of person who knew what he wanted and always got it. Injured as he was, Gray would never survive that. What he needed was medical attention, not another fight.

But what could she do? She had no magic and she couldn't physically stop the men from coming to blows. No, she had just one option.

She had to start talking again. Princess 101, right?

"L-Laxus," she whispered. "Laxus, please."

"Lucy." Laxus couldn't help but acknowledge her.

"You're here," she said, placing a hand over her heart and pretending to be relieved. "I didn't think you'd actually come."

"Of course, I'm here," he said, surprisingly gentle. "It's not every day that your fiancée gets kidnapped by assassins from Sabertooth."

Lucy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He made it sound like some sort of a life event.

"I wasn't kidnapped," interjected Lucy. "At least, not by him. He was the one who saved me from the kidnappers."

"Princess, this man is from Sabertooth. He is a dangerous criminal," said Freed.

"No," said Lucy. "He's a citizen of Fiore. And he's somebody who's very important to me. Laxus, if you love me at all—"

"Who said anything about love?" asked Laxus, his eyes narrowing as his face twisted into something horrible and mocking. "I thought we agreed that wasn't part of the equation?"

Lucy flinched. She had forgotten. Those were the first words she had said to him when he found her at the farm, so many years ago. She was starting to regret that.

Laxus turned his attention back to Gray. He looked unsteady on his feet.

"You will release Lucy and turn yourself in," said Laxus.

"Release her? I'm not even touching her," Gray pointed out.

"Surrender," insisted Laxus again. "The princess is coming with us."

"Over my dead body," hissed Gray.

Lucy gasped. He _wouldn't_. Fighting Laxus in his condition would be suicide.

"_That_ can be arranged," growled Laxus.

Gray raised his hands to attack.

Lucy ran out between them. "No. Stop this!"

Maybe she wasn't _entirely_ out of options. She had one more bargaining chip.

Herself.

"Lucy, stay back," said Gray. "Stay back and… and let me finish him," he panted, breathing shallowly as he hugged his injured side.

Lucy shook her head, turning to look Laxus square in the eye. "If we surrender, and I go home with you, will you let him go?" Lucy burst out.

"What?" asked Freed. "The man who kidnapped the princess? You want us to let him go?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Lucy kept her voice steady.

"Lucy, are you crazy?" hissed Gray, his eyes locking on hers. "What are you doing?"

The right thing. That was what she was doing. She was sure as soon as their eyes met. She could see the hurt in his expression, but Lucy had no doubts about what she needed to do.

Gray had died once, or so she'd thought. Losing him was unbearable. She wouldn't let it happen again. She'd give herself over to Laxus if he would spare Gray.

"This man saved my life," explained Lucy. "He's a sailor. His ship is waiting for him out in the bay. Will you return him to his ship and crew unharmed?"

"Lucy, be reasonable," said Laxus.

"If you agree to my terms, I'll return to the castle with you. Will you let him go?" she repeated.

Lucy glared back at Laxus, her chin held high. Her heart thundered in her chest. She had never stood up to Laxus before. There had never been a reason to. After Gray had died, Lucy had been no better than a living corpse. She had gone through the motions with Laxus in that horrible castle of his.

But now… now that she knew Gray was alive, she had something to live for. Something to fight for.

Laxus nodded, though his expression twisted with distaste. "Anything for you, my sweet. Freed, you know what to do. Stay behind and take care of Lucy's friend."

"Yes, my liege," said Freed. His words were obedient, though his expression betrayed his distaste for the idea.

"But, Lucy," protested Gray.

Lucy shook her head, her expression set. "I lost you once, and my world ended," she whispered. She ran a hand across Gray's cheek. "I can't sit back and watch him kill you. Not when I can do something to stop it." She tried to smile, hoping it didn't look too forlorn. She'd willingly live a life without him, if that meant that he could live the rest of his in safety.

"Don't do this," begged Gray, catching her hand with his uninjured one.

Lucy swallowed hard. "Goodbye, Gray…" she choked.

She pulled away, turning her back on him. She forced herself not to look back. She took the hand that Laxus extended, forcing herself not to recoil. He helped her up, settling her on the saddle behind him.

They set off in the direction of the castle, leaving Freed behind with Gray. It was only then, when there was no turning back, that Lucy dared a backwards glance.

Lucy almost sobbed aloud when her eyes met Gray's. There was a hurt in Gray's expression that had nothing to do with his injuries. But she couldn't cry. Not now. She couldn't leave Gray with that. The last thing he saw had to be a smile.

"I love you," she mouthed, forcing the corners of her mouth into a bittersweet smile as she tried to keep the tears at bay. She watched from the atop the horse that would carry her back to the castle, watching as the boy she loved grew smaller and smaller until he finally faded away.

Even after he was gone, Lucy would never forget the heartbroken look on her lover's face. It killed her to know that she was the one who put it there. But she could only hope he understood why she had to do it.

* * *

**Lucy talks a lot in canon. And she talks big. And she doesn't always have the firepower to back up her talking. Was I taking a jab? May-be... But it comes from a place of love, I promise. :)  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_Lucy was little more than a dressmaker's dummy as castle attendants helped her into her wedding gown. It was supposed to be the happiest day in a person's life. Yet, she felt no joy at this wedding. Of course, she had known this before it had happened._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	17. Lucy's Resolve

**It's Monday! And we pick up with Lucy.**

**Irina: For sure - Side villains make a reappearance next week. Natsu and the gang will be back the week following. One place where this story differs from the movie it was based on is that as a fanfic, readers are already familiar with all the characters, minus any tweaks I've made. Since this is Fairy Tail (which was very long), fans are used to being invested in a large ensemble cast. I don't think broadening the focus will confuse anyone, so that's what I'm planning to do. While the film stayed very close to the hero and his love interest (with one of the minor characters actually mattering), I want all of the characters (on Team Natsu) to play a part. But first, they'll have to earn their epilogue, so to speak.  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Today was the day. Her wedding day.

Lucy was little more than a dressmaker's dummy as castle attendants helped her into her wedding gown. It was supposed to be the happiest day in a person's life. Yet, she felt no joy at this wedding. Of course, she had known this before it had happened.

There was no future, no happiness for her. She had resigned herself to this fate the day the_ Juliet_ had sank.

Only then, she thought Gray was dead. Because of her, he was alive!

Lucy wondered where Gray was. If he was safe. If he was happy. If he were those two things, then all of this would have been worth it, and she'd be satisfied.

Lucy bunched her bouquet in hands and covered her face with her veil. Jerky marionette movements took her down the corridor and into the great hall. She was little more than a puppet on a string. A pawn in a twisted game in which there were no winners.

The music played, the organ heralding the end of her happiness. She couldn't save herself, but she had been able to save the man she loved. She should be proud of that.

Lucy dragged her feet as she walked down the aisle, her eyes glued to the ground.

There was talking, murmuring, shouting. Lucy let it all wash over her, shuffling through the sea of faceless wedding-goers and townspeople here to wish the bride and groom well.

Lucy wished that time would speed up, so she could get the horrible thing over with as soon as possible. She wished that time would slow down, so that she wouldn't have to do it. She wished that she were nowhere at all.

She choked back a sob, the pain in her chest almost physical. The man waiting for her on the other side was not the other half of her heart. She wasn't marrying Gray. She wasn't marrying Gray…

Finally, she reached the altar. Slowly, the veil was lifted from her face.

But the person who had done so was not the prince. Instead, in his place was a woman with neon pink hair pulled back with a cat-eared headband.

Lucy blinked in surprise. "You're not Laxus," she said, the words out before she could stop them.

There was a sharp crack as pain blossomed across the side of her face, Lucy's head turning with the force of the slap.

"Laxus? Laxus!" the woman screeched. "After all this time, he's the one you're looking for?"

Lucy cupped her stinging cheek. "What? No, it's not like that."

"You're a piece of trash," spat the woman. "Where is the man who spent years at your side when you were nothing but a turnip farmer's daughter? Where is the man who sailed from the ends of the earth to reunite with you? Where is the man who loved you more than life itself?"

"Gray?" whispered Lucy.

"She has to ask… Ungrateful wench!" said the woman. "Laxus, indeed!" she huffed.

"You don't understand," said Lucy. "I _want_ to be with Gray, but—"

"But what? But nothing!" said the woman. "You had a chance at _love_! But you threw it away like it was nothing. And for what? Our pig-headed prince and his throne of garbage. That's not love."

Voices jeered from the crowd.

"Garbage. The princess of garbage!"

Lucy whirled around, looking at the faceless masses. Except, they were no longer townspeople. They had turned into three handsome young men in uniform, all on horseback. Lucy recognized them as members of the Pegasus Mounted Guard and their trollish captain.

"Garbage! Garbage! Princess Garbage!" one shouted.

"Garbage! Garbage! Heartless trash!" echoed another.

"All hail the heartless trash!" sneered another.

"No!" said Lucy. "That's not true."

"Once again, men!" bellowed their captain.

"Garbage! Garbage! Princess Garbage!"

"Garbage! Garbage! Heartless trash!"

"All hail the heartless trash!" prompted the woman. One of the guardsmen extended his hand to her and she climbed into the saddle behind him.

"Hail Princess Lucy, heartless trash!" they chanted in unison, taking up the rallying cry.

"You heard her, men. Again!" ordered their captain.

"It's not like that," said Lucy. "I was saving his life!"

"You were breaking his heart," hissed the woman. "That's not love."

The chanting continued.

"No! I—I didn't! Laxus would have killed him!"

"And now you're marrying the prince who would have killed him!"

"I had to," protested Lucy.

"Was it your prince that rescued you from your captors? Was it your prince who protected you in the Changeling Swamp? Was it your prince who saved you from a broken heart and a loveless marriage?"

"No… no. I love _him_. I love Gray!"

* * *

Lucy sat bolt upright, gasping for air.

She let out a shuddering breath. "Just a dream," she whispered, dragging a hand through her sweaty hair.

Or was it more of a premonition?

There were ten days before her wedding. She could still stop this.

Lucy knew what she had to do before her feet even touched the floorboards. She dashed out of her room, wearing only her nightgown. She skidded to a stop in the hallway, pausing to speak to the guard that was stationed at her door. Laxus had posted guards everywhere since the kidnapping attempt. He said that it was for her safety, but sometimes she wondered…

"Where's Laxus?" she demanded.

"Ma'am?"

"Where's Laxus? Where is my fiancé? I need to see him."

"I—I think he might still be in his study," stammered the guard. The poor man had never seen her assert herself. He looked terrified.

"Bring me to him," said Lucy, drawing herself up to her full height. That too, was Princess 101. Until she broke off her engagement with Laxus, she was still the princess and their future queen. If she was going to make demands, she would do it the same way Laxus did. Boldly and unapologetically.

Following the guard, she marched into Laxus' room, throwing the door open.

Laxus looked up, startled by her sudden appearance. "Lucy. What a surprise." He had been bent over his desk, pouring over a map of Fiore and the surrounding countries. Lately he had started placing tiny toy figures near the Sabertooth/Fiore border and sliding them around the map.

"You may leave," she told the guard, waiting for the door to close behind him before she spoke. "Laxus, I want to call off the wedding," she said. She doubted that Laxus would mind the cancellation, since they both agreed that this was a loveless marriage. She just wanted to save him the embarrassment of a rejection in front of the castle staff.

"Aw, what for, my sweet?" asked Laxus, looking more focused on imagined war games than on her.

"I can't do this. And I won't do this."

That got his attention.

Laxus stood up, putting down his toy armies. "What do you mean you _can't_ do this?" he demanded, his forehead creasing in irritation.

"I… I still love Gray," breathed Lucy, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'm in love with Gray!" she said again, the declaration lifting the weight that had settled in her chest. It felt like she had gotten a little bit of herself back.

"Oh…" Laxus frowned. "Well, that's unfortunate."

"What do you mean?" asked Lucy, sobering.

"Well, my dear, you _do_ remember rejecting him, right?" asked Laxus slowly. She couldn't tell if he was trying to be gentle or just patronizing.

"But, that wasn't…" She did do that, didn't she?

"That probably hurt him. Badly," tutted Laxus. "Who's to say if he'll still accept your love after that?"

"Of course, he will," said Lucy. "It's Gray."

"You didn't let him down easy," said Laxus.

"…I'm sure he understands," said Lucy, not feeling very sure at all. She remembered the look of hurt in his eyes. He knew that she didn't have a choice, didn't he? "Or maybe…"

"Tell you what," said Laxus, surprisingly amicable. "Why don't we ask him and see if he wants you back?"

"How do you propose we do that?" asked Lucy. "He's back aboard his ship, out at sea."

"He couldn't have left more than a couple of days ago," said Laxus. "Why don't you write him a letter? Whatever you want to say to him. Make four copies. Then I'll send one with each of my four fastest ships. One in every direction."

"Will you get to him in time?" asked Lucy.

"Don't underestimate the Fiorian Navy, my dear. Even with this head start, the fastest ships in my fleet should be able to catch up with him easily. _And _come back to us with his answer. If he's out there, we'll find him," promised Laxus. "And after that, we'll see if your Gray really does come for you."

"Thank you, Laxus!" cried Lucy.

"You look surprised," said Laxus.

"I just… I didn't think you would do something like this," confided Lucy.

"You _are_ my bride to be," he reminded her. "I _do_ care about you, believe it or not."

"But you said yourself that we aren't in love," said Lucy.

Laxus sighed. "I knew from the start that my marriage would likely be a loveless one. Political, probably. But that doesn't mean that I want to see my wife unhappy."

"Still, thank you," she said again. "I'll get started right away."

"Don't put too much faith in him," he called after her. "He is a scoundrel and a rogue, after all."

"It's Gray," Lucy assured him. "He'll come back to me. He always does!"

"But if he doesn't," said Laxus. "Perhaps you'd consider me an alternative?"

"Gray will come back," Lucy promised him, rushing back to her room to pour her heart out on paper.

She returned two hours later, with four letters, signed and sealed.

"Here they are," she said softly.

"I'll take care of it," said Laxus.

"I've got a newfound respect for you," said Lucy.

"I'm glad to hear it. I'm hoping your positive opinion of me continues," said Laxus, waiting until she left to throw the letters straight into the fire.

* * *

**A scoundrel and a rogue? Takes one to know one, Lax.**

**But do you really think that Gray's on a ship? A clue: _...No._ ;) (Did anyone get the reference? It's a line from one of my all time favorite TV shows!)**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, our boy's having quite the ordeal: **_"I'm assuming you're going to kill me," said Gray. "Then, why heal me?" / __"Master Jellal wants you in one piece for the finale."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	18. Gray's Fortitude

**It's Monday! And we've reached the half-way point in this story. Last week, we got Lucy's perspective as she waits for the wedding. Let's catch up with Gray and see what he's been up to since their separation.**

**Possible trigger warning for this chapter: violence and torture ahead. Nothing super graphic, and well within the bounds of the T rating (you've seen my writing; my stuff is typically pretty tame), but everyone's health and well-being is important to me, so I figured I'd point it out, just to be safe. Read mindfully, or possibly give this chapter a skip if you have concerns. There'll be enough summary at the top of the A/N in upcoming chapters that you won't miss out. **

**Irina: I love Lucy, but we are talking about the same girl who didn't recognize her long-lost love because he was covering his face. As for Gray... read on (and root for him, because he needs it)! Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Gray watched as Lucy got on the back of Laxus' horse. The prince's steward stayed behind.

"Shall we get you back to your ship?" asked the steward.

Gray resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have the world's worst poker face?" asked Gray.

He was unsurprised when the prince's steward struck him over the head, leaving him in darkness.

When Gray came to, he was _still_ surrounded by darkness. There was a hard surface under his back. Something dug into his wrists. Raising one slightly, Gray could hear the clank of metal as something weighed down his arm.

It seemed like he had been shackled, with a thick chain tethering him to the table to keep him from moving. How pointless was that? His head ached, his side throbbed, and his arm burned, though his hand had gone numb. Sure, he could still walk, probably, since there was nothing wrong with his legs, but it wasn't like he was going to go anywhere fast. Being tied down felt a little like overkill.

As Gray's eyes adjusted, he could see the outline of a hunched, little creature with a wild mane and horns. At first, Gray thought he was dreaming, or maybe hallucinating. But then, he realized that the person was just wearing some sort of tribal mask made of brightly painted wood.

"He's awake," warbled the little man, hobbling toward the table.

"Who are you?" mumbled Gray, his voice shot from disuse.

"No one," said the little man. He raised a glassy orb in both hands, passing it over Gray slowly. The orb began to glow.

"Where am I?" asked Gray.

"This is the Tower of Heaven."

Gray felt a prickling down his side. It reminded him tiny bugs crawling up and down his bare skin. What was that? He suppressed a shudder, not wanting to give this man the satisfaction of watching him squirm. The prickling intensified into a tingling, like the legion of insects was marching just beneath his skin. It was all he could do not to whimper.

"What are you—?"

"Healing you. Hush."

"Healing me? Why?" asked Gray.

"You talk too much," the little man commented. "Don't ask so many questions."

Gray bit back a grunt as his muscles started twitching and pulsing over broken bones, coaxing them back into alignment. He let out a shuddering breath as the ribs knit beneath his skin, turning the roaring pain to a dull ache before it went away entirely.

Then, his arm started to prickle and crawl, just like his side had. Gray tried to ignore the sensation.

"I'm assuming you're going to kill me," said Gray. "Then, why heal me?"

"Master Jellal wants you in one piece for the finale."

"Who's Jellal? What finale?" demanded Gray, gritting his teeth as his broken arm righted itself, the fractured ends grinding over one another before slipping back into place as the bone made itself whole.

"Finished," said the little man.

Gray struggled against his bonds, noting the clink of chain links as he did so. He was still tired, weak, and more than a little sore, but at least he wasn't injured anymore. This was probably the best chance he'd have at escape. It wasn't ideal, but he'd take whatever he could get.

Besides, the little man was half his size. Gray could probably overpower him, if it came down to it. He just had to free himself from the restraints.

Of course, nothing would ever be that simple.

Gray heard something from behind him. It sounded like something heavy scraping across the floor. A door maybe? It shut with a slam. His odds of escape had just dropped dramatically.

Strapped to the table, Gray couldn't see what the newcomer looked like. But if he arched his neck just right, he could just make out a tall, thin figure in his peripheral.

"How's the prisoner?" asked the newcomer, his voice stiff, distant, and oddly familiar. This person seemed to be in charge. Was he the warden of this prison?

"All yours," said the little man. "I'm finished."

"Thank you, Zalty," said the warden.

Gray frowned. Where had he heard that voice before?

"My pleasure," growled the little man, Zalty. "But now it's your turn."

His turn? His turn for what? Gray kept quiet, trying to figure out what their intentions were.

"But I thought Jellal wanted him," said the warden.

"Not yet. He's yours to do with as you see fit," said Zalty. "As long as you don't kill him. Master Jellal wants him in one piece."

"Why doesn't Jellal just take him now?" asked the warden.

"It isn't time yet," said Zalty. "The machine isn't ready. But I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun until then."

"Zalty…" began the warden. He sounded conflicted, his hands teetering like the trays on a balance scale.

"This man needs to be made to confess his crimes," insisted Zalty. "Remember. This man kidnapped the princess."

"_I _was the one who—"

"That makes him a threat to the prince."

"…You're right."

"Every piece of information you tear from him is something else that might help Prince Laxus and the Kingdom of Fiore."

"And for Prince Laxus, there's nothing I wouldn't do," declared the warden softly.

"Well said. Laxus is lucky to have someone like you at his side. Hold nothing back," Zalty laughed, bouncing away in the darkness.

The door scrapped again before slamming shut.

With a creek and a clank, the table that Gray was lying on tilted, levering him upright. But gravity jerked him downwards, leaving him to dangle by the wrists, his feet barely touching the ground. And he found himself face-to-face with someone he never wanted to see again.

"It's you again," said Gray. "You're the guy from before." He kicked, swinging from his shackles, ignoring the way they dug into his wrist.

"I am the prince's personal steward. It might be more accurate to say I'm the castle's major domo. You may call me Freed."

"Ironic," said Gray.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You're probably wondering what you're doing here," said Freed.

"I already know you're not going to kill me," he said. "The little rat-man said as much."

"Death's too good for the likes of you."

"And what would you know about the likes of me?" said Gray. He wondered if he was going to get punished for the crimes of all the Captain Silvers past.

"Admit it. You kidnapped the princess."

"Don't think so," said Gray. "I didn't do it, and I'm not about to say I did."

"Pain!" shouted Freed, bringing his arm down in a sweeping gesture.

"What's that sup—!" Gray bit back a cry as every organ in his body twisted at once.

"You're from Sabertooth," accused Freed.

"Wrong again. You're really—!" Gray cut himself off, biting down hard on his lower lip to keep from crying out. It felt like someone was digging around his insides with a hot poker.

"Let's try this again. Who is your employer? Is it Sabertooth?"

"No. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm—" Gray couldn't keep from screaming this time. He swore, writhing against his bonds. It felt like something inside him had burst. "I'm not. I'm not! I told you already!"

"Liar!" roared Freed, gesturing in the air again.

Pure white-hot agony erupted.

"Stop! Just stop!" Gray cried.

"Admit it."

Gray just whimpered, shaking his head. Was he dying? It felt like it.

That was when Gray realized that he had been crying.

"I see this is going nowhere," said Freed taking a step back. He sighed, running a shaky hand through his hair. Then he turned and exited the room.

And for some time, there was nothing. Gray wasn't sure how long Freed had left him there alone. He needed to escape. He needed to get away. But he just couldn't. He hurt too much.

But he couldn't just give up either.

When the door opened again, Gray realized he was too late. Freed was back, accompanied by Zalty.

"Fix him," said Freed dully.

"Of course," said Zalty. "Did you get a confession out of him?" he asked, readying the glass orb that he had carried earlier.

"We'll have to try again," said Freed.

"That's not a problem," said Zalty. "You know that I can heal him as many times as you need."

"I don't enjoy doing this," said Freed.

"But it's for the good of the kingdom and the prince."

"Yes, I'm aware," said Freed. "Are you finished?"

"All done."

"Let's start again."

Gray didn't know how long Freed kept him there. Abusing him until he bled, until he blacked out, until he broke. Healing him. Breaking him again.

But Gray held on, with one thought in his mind. Even when he didn't have the strength to hold his own head up anymore, there was one thing that could kept him going.

"Lucy," he whispered. He'd get through this. For her. For his Lucy.

* * *

Any moment now, she'd hear back from Gray. Laxus' ship would come into port with a letter that said that he was on the way. Or better yet, he'd come back on Laxus' ship. He'd come sweeping into the castle and scoop her up in his arms. Then he'd take her away to start that life they'd always wanted.

Where would they go? What would they do?

Lucy didn't care. She'd even happily return to the turnip farm.

As long as she was with Gray, it would be all right.

The wedding was tomorrow.

Lucy smiled. It didn't matter. Gray would never let that happen. He would save her.

"Have we heard from Gray?" she asked, all but skipping into Laxus' study.

"Ah, Lucy," said Laxus. "I have something important to discuss with you."

"Is it about Gray?" asked Lucy.

"It's about our honeymoon," said Laxus. "Every ship in my armada is ready to take us on a voyage to remember."

"Every ship? I thought you sent your four fastest ships to deliver my letter," accused Lucy.

"…Of course, I did," said Laxus. "I meant every ship that's not currently in port. The ones that are already at sea won't be available, obviously."

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "You didn't, did you? You lied. You didn't send my letter."

"Lucy, what are you saying? Of course, I did," said Laxus. "Would I lie to you?"

"I wonder," said Lucy.

"Cheer up," said Laxus, sounding almost friendly. "The wedding is still a whole day away."

The wedding was _only_ a day away. She was running out of time.

"Gray will come for me," she insisted, though she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or Laxus.

* * *

Zalty had healed him earlier that morning, so Gray knew what was coming. Though he was well-rehearsed to the painful idea, it didn't make it any more comforting.

Gray heard the door of the chamber creak open.

"Are you going to wise up to the fact that I don't have an answer?" deadpanned Gray. "Or are you going to rearrange my insides again?"

"Neither, though that can be arranged," responded a smooth, oily voice… one that definitely wasn't Freed.

Gray struggled against his bonds to see his new tormentor, surprised to see a mild-mannered man with a red mark over his right eye. Zalty followed behind him.

"Zalty, ready the machine," the man commanded.

"At once, Master Jellal," said Zalty.

Zalty tottered across the room, opening a hidden panel. He disappeared for a few minutes and returned pushing a menacing device with wheels and cogs and levers and pulleys.

Carefully, the device was wheeled into the center of the room and pushed in front of Gray, with what looked like the barrel of a cannon pointed towards his chest.

"Y'know, if you blow a hole through me, there might be nothing left for Zalty to heal," warned Gray. "Just sayin'." Hovering between health and the brink of death on a daily basis during his time in captivity had brought out the morbid side of his humor.

"Who says anything's coming _out_ of the machine?" asked Jellal, his tone a mockery of sympathy.

He flipped one of the switches, sending the machine to life with a rumble.

Gray gasped. It felt like he had been plunged into ice. Or maybe it was fire. He couldn't tell, but it hurt. It hurt…

Despite his gritted teeth, a scream of agony tore from Gray's throat. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before, but he knew what was happening. Gray could feel the machine leeching at his magic.

Gray's back arched as his magic was stolen. He hadn't been a magic user for long, but it had become such an integral part of him. It felt like his very soul was being ripped from his body.

Then, sweet relief.

The machine ground to a halt.

Gray went limp, gasping for breath. "What…? What… was that?" Gray mumbled, sweat dripping off his face sluggishly.

"That was a 3," mused Jellal. His hand moved towards the machine.

"What… does that… mean?"

"It's a setting on the magic extractor," said Jellal idly. "Normal people should last for days on 3. Actually, there's no reason why a healthy person couldn't last indefinitely at this level, assuming their magic should regenerate quickly enough."

Indefinitely?

Gray couldn't imagine being in that much pain for days. Would he get used to it? Or would it the agony remain?

"But at a 3, it would take months to harvest enough magic," said Jellal. "If we cranked it up to a 5 or 6, it would definitely be faster."

The extractor machine turned back on with a whirr.

Searing, white agony.

Hot or cold, Gray knew not. He felt like he had been plunged into a vat of molten lava. Or was it icy water? He couldn't breathe. He couldn't scream. Yet, he _was_ screaming, the awful sound filling his ears.

The pain stopped.

Gray blinked in surprise.

Jellal was nodding to himself. "A 5 or 6 would get us there in half the time. I'm just not sure how long you'd survive under those conditions. I'm sure you can help me figure it out."

Freed had been asked to keep him alive, but Jellal had no such restrictions.

He was as good as dead.

"Why…?" gasped Gray, trying to make the brief respite to its fullest. "Why are you doing this?"

"Your magic will power this machine of mine," smiled Jellal. "Do you know what I could do with that much magic power?" he asked.

Gray smirked weakly. "Disappear?" he hissed.

"That attitude of yours is going to get you in trouble someday," said Jellal. "Scratch that. Make that today."

On went the machine. Gray writhed against the chains.

This was a thousand times worse than anything that Freed had done to him. No physical pain could touch the burning that consumed him.

What was worse, was that he couldn't save Lucy. He couldn't even save himself. He was as good as dead.

No, he was better off dead.

Anything to end the pain.

Gray sagged as the Jellal turned the machine off. He could feel the shackles digging into his raw wrists, though his hands, themselves, had gone numb.

"And once that fool Laxus finally goes to war with Sabertooth," continued Jellal. "All of his prisoners will be mine for the taking. With the greatest mages in Sabertooth at my disposal, I will have an unlimited supply of magic power to harvest."

"You're disgusting," rasped Gray, his voice hoarse from screaming.

He was antagonizing Jellal, and he knew it. But he didn't care anymore. He was never escaping. What was the worst that Jellal could do? Have him killed?

Death couldn't come soon enough.

"I've been called worse," said Jellal.

"I figured that. Where'd you get that seal over your eye?" asked Gray, trying again.

"What's it to you?" asked Jellal mildly.

"You know, there's this psycho red-head looking for you," croaked Gray. "She's got a vendetta."

"What?"

"You do this to her too? No wonder she likes ya," deadpanned Gray.

Gray smirked as Jellal's jaw tightened, his face twisting into a mask of rage.

Sorry, Lucy…

Gray heard the ratcheting sound as Jellal flung the switch all the way up to its maximum setting. Pain seared through his body.

Gray barely registered the slam of the door as Jellal exited.

* * *

**Whoa. That was a tough chapter to write. Poor Gray... Aside from beating up on Gray , I struggled with where to take this chapter. Hopefully this serves to appropriately raise the stakes.  
**

**And if Freed as a torturer has you scratching your head, think back to the Battle of Fairy Tail arc. That Freed (who was absolutely Laxus' yes-man) was who I had in mind.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, our augmented Team Natsu returns: **_"Guys, you'll never guess what I heard! Where's Erza?" asked Natsu._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	19. Team Assassin Reunites!

**It's Monday! I'm glad everyone's excited for the return of our modified Team Natsu. I love Gray and Lucy, but this story's too long for just two characters to carry, IMHO. Plus they're both pretty tied up, right now. Time to call in the cavalry!  
**

**BTW - check out the author's notes at the end of the chapter. I've got something I want you guys to vote on.**

**Irina: Gray tends to get the worst of it in my stories. That's the danger of being Author's Favorite. As for Jellal, I think I get where you're coming from. For me, personally, it's the dub that really brings the story to life for me. (****I watch the English dub.) For example, ****I read something where someone said something like: 'I think I would find Gray annoying if his voice actor didn't have such a cool voice.' I tend to agree. With Jellal, he has a voice actor who is amazing at doing evil (or at least dark). I mean, he's okay when he does mopey/repentant Jellal... it's a solid performance. And he can sound completely ordinary when he wants to (he's also Samezuka's Captain Mikoshiba in Free! Iwatobi Swim Club and I didn't notice at all). It's probably weird to say, but I _love_ his evil voice (which he also uses for Brian Roscoe in Gosick), which is why I end up type-casting poor Jellal. Plus, evil is fun to write. XD Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Every step he took rustled.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

"What's this?" said Natsu, looking at his feet in annoyance.

There was a scrap of paper had gotten stuck to bottom of his shoe. Natsu reached down to peel it off. It looked like some sort of a flyer, though parts of it were too dirty or damaged to read.

"Miracle Mak's? Miracles, magic, can't read that, supernatural phenomena, something-something, resurrections, unbelievable wonders… (No case too small.) Negotiable rates, ask within," read Natsu, frowning in confusion.

Natsu made a face. He couldn't believe it. _There_ was a guy desperate for work. At least he and the others weren't making posters with crazy claims on them. It made Natsu feel less bad about their situation.

Natsu cut through the center of town, hands loose in his pockets. Since the mage in black had 'rescued' the princess from them, Freed had decided not to pay them. Not that any of them were pressed for cash, but not being paid sucked. Between jobs, at the moment, Erza and Lyon were off sulking over their defeat. But Natsu was canvasing the town for work, like any sensible person would. So far, nothing. His keen dragon slayer senses were operating at full bore, eyes peeled, ears perked, and nose sniffing out the next opportunity for coin.

Natsu continued down the street, inquiring at every storefront. He stopped at the butcher's, the baker's and even the candlestick maker's. Would one of them need an apprentice or an assistant?

Unfortunately, no. Apparently, having awesome fire powers was a 'liability,' especially at the candlestick maker's.

Natsu groaned. Why was this so difficult? Somebody had to need a mage for hire! And if not for their magical abilities, someone in town had to be looking for manual labor. Lyon would probably think it was beneath him, but Erza would probably agree to it after a disapproving scowl or two.

Personally, Natsu didn't mind the idea of being hired for manual labor. Work was work. Besides, being an assassin or whatever wasn't that much fun anyways. Being hired help would be a nice change of pace.

Natsu passed a teenage girl with wavy dark-brown hair and a hulking older man, both carrying bags of groceries.

"Let's hurry home," the man said, his heavy footfalls loud on the cobblestone. "Your stepmother's wai—" He lost his balance, flailing and sending the groceries tumbling to the ground. "Oops. Aw, man."

Natsu stepped forward to help. If he was lucky, the pair would even give him a couple of coins for helping them to carry their bags. But before he could offer, the girl bent down to retrieve their wayward groceries, packing the falling items back into the bag.

"Gildarts! You're so clumsy," the girl complained.

"Sorry…" sighed the man.

"It's fine," said the girl. She sighed before picking up both bags as if they were nothing.

Natsu let out a short huff, crossing his arms over his chest. It looked like his help wouldn't be needed after all.

"Wow, Cana, you're really strong." Gildarts beamed with a cartoonishly large smile.

"It's nothing, okay?"

"My little girl's all grown up!" gushed the man.

"Geez, dad! You're embarrassing me," Cana scoffed, her cheeks tinging pink.

"Can you blame a man for being proud of his little girl? Me and your mom—stepmom—both are."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to shout it to the world," mumbled Cana. "Let's just get going, okay?"

The pair disappeared down the street, bickering happily. Reluctantly, Natsu tore his eyes away, an odd little twinge in his chest. There was no point in watching them. There was obviously no money to be had there.

As Natsu weaved his way through town, he passed another little family, going about their day. A young couple and their two children had a mangy pup that trailed behind them. The husband bounced a chubby-cheeked toddler in his arms. The little boy played with his dog.

As Natsu passed them, the dog stopped, sniffing at Natsu suspiciously. It pointed its nose at Natsu, barking.

"Hey, boy," said Natsu, holding out a hand to scratch the dog behind its ears.

Not liking what he found, apparently, the dog snarled at Natsu, gnashing its teeth and jumping up and down.

"Hey, cut that out!" complained Natsu. "Sit. Sit!"

"Sorry, Mister!" shouted the boy, throwing his arms around the dog's neck to try to calm his canine friend.

Natsu waved him off. He was more of a cat person anyways.

Even after the young family had passed, Natsu couldn't help but think about them, almost enviously, though he wasn't entirely sure why. What did he have to be envious of? It wasn't like he was missing anything.

He was perfectly happy with the way things were. He and Erza and Lyon were a little team, not that different from the family that had just passed. All they were missing were a dog and a little mini-Natsu.

Sure, they fought with each other sometimes. Most of the time. But that, just meant that they were like the girl and her dad from before. It was all the same, wasn't it?

Maybe he needed a dog. Scratch that. A cat. That was it. After all this was over, he'd talk to the others about getting one.

"Make way, make way!"

Natsu snapped to attention at the shout, shuffling out of the way of oncoming traffic.

"It's the Royal Carriage!" someone shouted.

The crowd parted as the royal carriage rolled through town. Townspeople clambered for a better view of the prince. With the royal wedding in less than a day away, the town was bustling with excitement.

Natsu snorted. He was less than impressed with the royals these days. Sure, they didn't exactly succeed on their mission, but after all that trouble, Freed really should have paid them something. Still, the princess was pretty cool. In another world, he could see them being pals. Man, that would be cool!

Natsu glanced over at the carriage as it passed. Maybe he'd get a peek of Lucy on her way to her wedding or something. But instead of a cute blonde, what Natsu saw was a man sitting opposite the prince.

He seemed as calm, almost as if he belonged there. There was a red seal over his right eye.

"Hey, isn't that the dude that Erza's looking for?" asked Natsu.

Natsu pushed his way through the crowd, trying to get closer to the street. He wanted to hear what they were talking about. He jogged alongside the carriage in the most discrete way possible. If he strained, he could just hear them over the rattle of the carriage wheels.

"Have you broken him yet?" asked the prince.

"Soon, my liege," responded the man with the seal over his eye.

Broken? What were they talking about?

"His magic reservoir is quite formidable," continued the man. "But I assure you, I will drain every drop."

Dread pooled in the pit of Natsu's stomach when he realized that they were talking about a person. Drain him? Of what?"

"She's _still_ asking after him. Spouting off about how _he's_ her true love," said the prince.

Natsu furrowed his brow in confusion. This was making less and less sense.

"Patience, sire. The mysterious mage will be of no use to your princess when I'm through with him. He'll be as good as dead."

Were they talking about the mage in black? The princess was in love with the mage in black?! Natsu had assumed that he had been working for the prince, but it didn't seem like that was the case anymore. Maybe he and the princess were a thing. No wonder he'd fought so hard to rescue her!

"He'd better be," said the prince. "Lucy's quite a handful. The foolish girl. Does she really think that I won't have her as my bride?"

"That's not a problem, Sire," said the man. "Keep her docile. Let her remain hopeful. Then after the wedding, you can do with her as you please."

"If I had other plans for her, I might agree," said the prince. "But since I plan to kill her and frame her murder on Sabertooth, it makes no difference what she thinks now."

Natsu froze. The prince was going to murder the princess? And the other man was going to kill her lover? This couldn't happen.

They may have been mercenaries, and the man in black may have been their enemy once, but this wasn't okay. This was wrong! He had to tell Erza and Lyon. They needed to fix this.

Natsu rushed back to the seedy bar on the far side of town. The more unsavory part of town tended to attract lowlifes, criminals and other dangerous types. He and the others fit right in.

Natsu spotted Lyon polishing off a glass of what was probably something strongly alcoholic. He and Erza had both taken their recent defeat badly.

"Guys, you'll never guess what I heard! Where's Erza?" asked Natsu.

"Hello to you too," said Lyon, raising his flask in greeting.

"Yeah, yeah. Hey," said Natsu. "Have you seen Erza?"

"_Seen_ her?" Lyon snorted. "Natsu, people can hear her for miles."

"Hear her?" Natsu strained his ears. Besides the normal din of the bar they were in and the sounds of the town beyond, Natsu didn't hear anything worth mentioning.

"All I hear is some girl throwing a tantrum about cake. Man, what a bridezilla! I hope that's not the princess."

Lyon smirked. "It's not."

Natsu's eyes widened. "That can't be Erza," he said.

Lyon's smile only widened.

"That _can't_ be Erza!" insisted Natsu, shaking his head.

"You don't know her so well, do you?" said Lyon. "I shudder to think of what she'd be like after a couple of drinks."

"We could find out," suggested Natsu. "Just ask her out for drinks."

"Your funeral," said Lyon.

"Nah, not me," said Natsu. "You should do it, though."

Lyon scoffed. "I think not," he said.

"Okay, well, let's go get her," said Natsu. "I've found us a new job."

"Really?" asked Lyon, perking up at the prospect of work. "What is it? It's not something idiotic like working for the candlestick maker, is it?"

"I'll explain after we get Erza," said Natsu.

"Oh, joy."

* * *

Natsu found Erza threatening the lady baker at Fairy Queen Sweets.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Erza. "What do you mean you're out of strawberry?!"

"We're very sorry, ma'am," whimpered the baker. "They all went towards to royal wedding cake. So, we're all out."

"Unacceptable!" thundered Erza.

The baker cowered, her face hidden behind her spectacles and wavy hair.

"Lady, calm down or I'm calling the constable," threatened the baker's husband.

"Erza!" barked Lyon.

"Call whoever you like!" shouted Erza. "This is a crime! And the perpetrators need to be brought to justice!"

"I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it for myself," said Natsu, shaking his head.

"She gets like this when she's depressed. Just like I drink. She goes on a sugar binge," said Lyon. "Erza!"

"Really?" said Natsu. "You two need to find more productive hobbies."

"Says the person who torched a town the last time he got upset," said Lyon. "Come on, Erza. Enough."

"Yours?" asked the baker's husband.

"Hardly," said Lyon, rolling his eyes. "Would you calm down, you raving lunatic?! Erza! Are you listening?"

"Hey, no, I get it," said the baker's husband pleasantly. "Mine's an absolute gorgon sometimes. Depends on her mood. That's the only reason I didn't step in. Mine could take yours on if she really wanted to. That's my fairy queen!" he cackled, sticking out his tongue playfully.

"Once we collect our _comrade_, we'll be out of your hair," said Lyon shortly, clamping his hands down on Erza's shoulders.

"I have not yet begun to fight!" Erza roared, struggling against Lyon's hold. She flung his hands away, nearly boxing his ears in the process.

"If you insist," sighed Lyon. "But don't blame me for the consequences."

Thick ice grew from where Lyon's hands were, extending down to Erza's feet. He had trapped her in a giant sphere of ice.

"What? Hey! How dare you!" raged Erza.

"Get out of that, if you can," gloated Lyon.

"Lyon, what is the meaning of this? Release me this instant!" she bellowed.

"All yours," Lyon told Natsu, turning on heel.

"Hey, wait a minute!" protested Natsu. "You're just leaving me with _her_?"

"You're the one who wanted to talk with her. Now, hurry up. I want to hear about this new job you've supposedly found us."

Barely avoiding her flailing limbs, Natsu managed to duck in close. "Upsidaisy!" Natsu said, flopping ice Erza onto her back. She teetered like a turtle.

"Natsu, you idiot!" growled Erza.

"Lyon says it's for your own good," he said. Might as well spread the blame around.

"I did no such thing," Lyon called.

Grabbing Erza by the hands, Natsu towed her through the town and to a clearing where he could finally share his news.

* * *

**So, hopefully that was a worthy re-introduction of our mercenary trio. Did anyone recognize the cameos? Gildarts and Cana were obviously the father-daughter pair in the village. The second family was a weird mix of the Conbolts and the Connells. I didn't drop a lot of hints here, since I realize that would be confusing, but I've always imagined Romeo and Asuka as siblings after the couple of scenes where he's playing with her. That manifested itself here before I realized what I was doing, lol. Finally the Fairy Queen lady-baker and her husband (who sticks out his tongue) were supposed to be Evergreen and Bickslow. I know we wouldn't normally expect Evergreen to cower; she's too proud. But I was thinking that she was pretty timid after Erza laid into her during the Battle of Fairy Tail.  
**

**Now, a question for you guys. I have two completed stories that I could start posting after _As You Wish_ concludes, and need to know which one is getting posted next so I can start on final revisions. You get to pick!  
**

**Option 1: _Toxic_ is a Nalu retelling of Snow White featuring Juvia as the Evil Queen. We focus heavily on Lucy, Gray, and Juvia (specifically her descent into madness). This one's a little more intense (like last week's chapter). Length-wise, it's similar to this story, coming in at 31 chapters and ~70,000 words.**

**Option 2: _Gray's Wonderful Life_ is a Fairy Tail twist on It's a Wonderful Life. Gray, full of regrets, wishes he was never born. He gets to explore the alternate futures of his loved ones in this Gray-less alternate universe. No real shipping unless you squint. It's a little gritty at times, but endeavors to be a feel-good fic by the end. Total of 9 chapters and ~26,000 words.**

**I'm planning to post both stories eventually, but let me know which one you'd like to see first! I'll keep the question open through the end of the month. For my first post in April, I'll let everyone know what the verdict was! (And if it's _Toxic_, I'll have to get working on it right away. Long stories always take so long to edit.)**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_"You're thinking a rescue mission?" asked Erza._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	20. The Sound of Ultimate Suffering

**It's Monday! Hope everyone's had a restful weekend and is staying safe, wherever you are. :) These are crazy and stressful times we're living in, so we've got to be each other's reason to smile, so do something extra nice for someone today! ;P  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

It was hard work dragging Ice-Erza out of town, but with Natsu's strength, he managed.

"Will you let me out now?" groused Erza. She scowled in annoyance.

"That depends entirely on you. Are you planning on attacking me?" asked Lyon. "Or do you still need to be kept on ice?"

"Oh, har-har," muttered Erza, glaring. "_Hilarious_."

"That doesn't answer my question," said Lyon coolly.

"I will refrain from further resistance," said Erza, her expression sullen.

Satisfied, Lyon snapped his fingers. The ice that held Erza captive dissolved around her, leaving her sitting in a puddle of water.

She glared, trying to keep her dignity.

"So, what's this about a new job?" asked Lyon.

"A new job?" echoed Erza. "Why didn't you say so?"

"We tried. _You_ were too busy trying to cause Armageddon to listen," snapped Lyon.

"I was only trying to—"

"Forget that, you guys! I was in town today and I heard that the princess is back at the castle," said Natsu.

"No surprise there," said Erza. "We already knew that Freed wasn't paying us."

"It gets better," said Natsu. "She's getting married tonight. To the prince—"

"Good for her," said Lyon sarcastically.

"—who plans on killing her."

There was a pause, like waiting for one's mouth to ignite after eating firecracker chicken. Natsu gave the others a look, waiting for them to catch up.

"And?" said Lyon.

And _what_? Wasn't it obvious?!

"Geez, and you say I'm slow," sighed Natsu.

"You're thinking a rescue mission?" asked Erza.

"Who's paying us?" asked Lyon.

"Does that matter?" asked Natsu. "This one's _important_."

"I work for the highest bidder," he reminded him.

"I agree," said Erza.

"Really?!" said Natsu. "This might be the first time you've agreed on anything."

"We're mercenaries," Erza reminded him.

"We're mercenaries," repeated Natsu. "And that means that we do what we want, and we don't answer to nobody. We can kidnap a girl today and we rescue her tomorrow. No royalties or whatever to worry about."

"You mean loyalties," sighed Lyon. "Royalty, we _will_ have to worry about, since you're planning on stealing his bride."

"But what about the mage in black?" asked Natsu.

"Is that what we're calling him?" said Lyon, quirking an eyebrow. "Mage in black?"

"I don't know his name, do you?" said Natsu.

"I fail to see what this has to do with the mage in black," said Erza impatiently.

"Didn't I tell ya?" asked Natsu. "He and the princess have a thing. He was trying to rescue her… from us!"

"If she's back with the prince, he clearly failed," shrugged Erza.

"I can't believe you're siding with _him_!" said Natsu.

"I hate to admit it, but even Lyon can be right on occasion," said Erza.

"We have to rescue the girl and reunite them!" insisted Natsu, appealing to Lyon instead.

"Is _he_ planning on paying us?" asked Lyon.

"He sorta doesn't know we're helping," said Natsu.

"Then how is this a job?" asked Lyon. "Might I remind you, I don't do charity."

"This is his _true love_ we're talking about," said Natsu. "Think about it. With as hard as he fought us, do you think he'd sit around while she's set to marry the prince? No way! He's clearly somewhere where he _can't_ help."

"Where is he?" said Erza. "Do you even know that much?"

"I'm not sure," said Natsu. "I think the prince has him."

"I'm out," said Lyon. "This is more than I bargained for on a pro bono job."

"Lyon…" said Natsu. "Come on, man. This is his _true love_. The person who he lives and dies for."

Lyon let out a soft sigh, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

Leaving him to digest that, Natsu turned to Erza. "Erza, I know you're the tough, scary warrior woman, but… but even _you_ had to have known love once!"

Erza's impassive expression softened as she and Lyon exchanged glances.

"For love," said Lyon.

Erza sighed. "Fine. We'll do it. For love."

Natsu grinned, whooping loudly.

"We start by finding the mage in black," said Erza, taking charge, as usual.

"I don't follow," said Lyon. "Why wouldn't we begin by rescuing the princess?"

"The mage in black is something special," said Erza. "He's better than all three of us put together. He beat your magic, my strength and Natsu's… whatever you call it."

"My fighting spirit!" supplied Natsu.

"Yes, that's exactly the word I was looking for," said Erza lamely.

"Beat us? You mean, he _cheated_," groused Lyon.

"Still," said Natsu. "He beat us. We need him. Besides, if anybody deserves to help rescue his girl, it's that guy."

"I'll buy that," said Lyon. "If it were me, I'd want to be involved. But where do we start? You said the prince has him, but that could be any—

Natsu frowned, his head tilted to the side.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" asked Erza.

"Do you hear that?" asked Natsu.

"Hear what?" demanded Lyon.

"_Listen_. It's very faint, but you might be able to hear it if you try," said Natsu.

Lyon shuddered. "What is that God-awful sound?"

Erza grinned, her eyes lighting up.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Lyon.

Erza looked solemn. "_That_, gentlemen, is a sound that all of us are familiar with. Have you never heard it before? We've all made a sound such as this."

"I guarantee you; I've _never_ made a wretched sound like that…" said Lyon.

"You've never heard the sound of Ultimate Suffering?" asked Erza. She waited for her words to sink in.

Lyon's eyes widened in recognition. "When Ultear disappeared. I thought my heart had been torn from my chest…"

Erza nodded. "It was when the man with the red seal over his eye took my beloved away from me. He murdered my Simon before my very eyes," she whispered.

"I remember. When I found out that 8-Island closed forever…" moaned Natsu. Then he blinked. "Hey, wait a minute! So, that's why you're looking for him?" he asked. "For a while, I thought you were like Lyon and just wanted to hook up with the guy, when here you actually want to kill him… Wow."

"Shut your mouth, dragon slayer," hissed Lyon.

"Hey, I've found a guy with a seal over his eye. I think he's working for the prince," said Natsu. "He's part of this whole mess, maybe. Yeah. He's the one who's supposed to kill the mage in black!"

"Are you serious?" said Lyon.

"Yeah! It slipped my mind, but it's true."

"Why did you not say something sooner?" demanded Erza. "I would have agreed right away instead of wasting precious time!"

"I—I forgot, I guess," said Natsu.

"You're an idiot," said Lyon, folding his arms over his chest.

"This is perfect! We'll find the mage in black. Then we can storm the castle and while he rescues his girl, I get my revenge," said Erza. "Come on, we've no time to waste!"

Without waiting for a response, Erza charged into the woods, her sword drawn.

"Erza. Erza, slow down," called Lyon. "How exactly do you know that's the mage in black!" he shouted after her. "That could be anybody! Erza!"

"Isn't it obvious, man?" asked Natsu.

"Not particularly, no."

"The wedding's _tonight_," said Natsu.

"So?" said Lyon.

"What do you mean, 'so?' What are ya, heartless?"

"I mean, that could be anyone crying out. Who says it's the mage in black? After all, you're upset over a _restaurant_."

"With the best firecracker chicken known to man! But enough about me. I figure—"

"_Erza_ figures," interrupted Lyon.

"—that the wedding's tonight, so the whole city's partying and everyone should be having a blast, right? But for the mage in black? Not so much, because the love of his life is marrying somebody else tonight. If anyone's got a reason for Ultimate Suffering, it'd be him."

* * *

Natsu and Lyon had to sprint to keep up with Erza. She barked at them to pick up the pace.

"How much do you want to bet that he's in that tower up there?" asked Natsu.

"What tower?" asked Lyon.

"Dude, how could you miss that?" asked Natsu, pointing at the horizon, where a twisting structure rose high into the sky. "The big thing. Up ahead."

"How do you know that's not just a dead tree?" challenged Lyon.

"Does that look like a tree to you?" asked Natsu.

"Assuming that you're right and that's actually a tower… What kind of imbecile would be that obvious about it?" asked Lyon. "That's almost asking for us to discover him."

Erza's frenetic pace slowed as they got deeper into the woods.

"What's the matter?" asked Lyon.

"It's getting fainter," said Erza, straining to hear.

"Really?" asked Natsu. "I can hear just fine. Follow me."

Natsu moved into the lead, following the sound. It had been getting fainter. Natsu hoped that the mage in black was all right.

"Come on! Let's move out!" roared Erza as if she were commanding an entire army instead of just a couple of people. She chased after Natsu, leaving Lyon to run after them.

The sound led right where he thought it would. Natsu stopped suddenly, sending Erza and Lyon slamming into his back.

"Why did you stop?" asked Lyon.

"This is it," said Natsu, gesturing at the structure before them. "I told you!" crowed Natsu.

"A tree," scoffed Lyon. "The answer is a tree?"

"It's not a tree. It's a tower!" insisted Natsu.

The team looked up at the towering mass of tangled roots that extended towards the sky.

"It looks more like a spire than a tower," complained Lyon.

"Who cares what it's called. I don't see any way inside," said Erza.

His ears would help them no further. Natsu looked to his other senses to find more clues.

"Do you smell something?" asked Natsu.

"No…" said Lyon.

"What is it?" asked Erza.

"It's like ladies' perfume," said Natsu. "Lilacs."

Motion caught the corner of his eye. He whirled around. A small person scampered past.

"Did you see that?" asked Natsu.

"What?" asked Erza, looking around wildly.

"A rat-looking creature. Long green hair," said Natsu.

"_What_?! You're seeing things," said Lyon.

"I'm serious," said Natsu. "Look, maybe it was a person in a mask or a costume or something."

"Well, where is he?" demanded Erza.

"I don't know. He's gone," said Natsu.

"Natsu, people don't just disappear," said Lyon.

"I think he went inside," said Natsu.

"How did he do that?" asked Lyon.

"I don't know, man! But like you said. People don't just disappear!" said Natsu.

"There's got to be a way in," said Erza. "A switch, a trap door, something."

Lyon looked serious for a second, as he bent down on one knee.

"What are you doing?" asked Erza.

"Shh, he's proposing!" chortled Natsu.

"Master," said Lyon. "I don't know what to do. We need your help. Guide us to the mage in black."

Erza gave an impatient scoff.

"It'll work," insisted Lyon. "Just watch."

"Oh, this'll be good," snickered Natsu.

Lyon raised a hand, casting a small flurry of snow crystals. They fluttered to the ground, landing in a heap.

"Well?" asked Erza.

"Just wait," insisted Lyon.

"We're waiting…" said Natsu.

"Master, don't let me down," begged Lyon.

Nothing.

Suddenly, the wind picked up, whisking the snow up in a spiral.

"Ha!" said Lyon. "I knew I was right. My turn to lead. Follow me!"

Natsu and Erza did _not _follow.

Lyon chased after billowing snow all by himself as Natsu and Erza watched. He circled the base of the tower once, twice, three times.

"Um, hate to tell ya, man? I think you're just doing laps," said Natsu.

Lyon groaned in frustration, slumping against the side of the tower. "Oh, come on Master! This isn't funny!" he huffed, pounding against the tower with his fist.

Something under his fist gave.

Natsu could see the excitement in Erza's eyes as they exchanged glances, leaping up in excitement as a hidden door swung open. It had been right under their noses their entire time.

"You did it!" shouted Erza, thumping Lyon on the back.

"I did?" said Lyon. "I mean, of course, I did!"

"Come on, we've got a mage in black to rescue!" she cried, leading them into the tower.

Natsu followed behind her, almost missing sight of Lyon as he took a knee near the tower's hidden entrance.

"Thank you, Master," whispered Lyon, his eyes drifting skywards.

* * *

**One step closer to finding Gray! But we don't expect it to be easy, do we?**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_"I-incombustable!" he wheezed, pounding on his own chest. "D-dude! What are you doing to my magic?"_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	21. Order's up! Salted Rat!

**It's Monday! **

****A couple of chapters back, I mentioned that I'm really going off-script here and not leaning on the movie as much, but I wanted to make one more film-comment. In the movie, the assassins rescue the hero from someplace called The Pit of Despair pretty easily. In the book, this scene was a lot more elaborate and involved something called the Zoo of Death. It was a bit more complicated with multiple levels of monsters to defeat (though, the book didn't do it justice either) and showcased more characterization for some of the side characters. It let the readers see their friendship and gave them a struggle to save the hero. So, why didn't this make it into the film? According to the director, they just ran out of budget.  
****

****Given that we don't have to worry about budget restrictions here, I'm going to work through the rescue scene and try to make it a little more meaningful.****

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The air was dank and musty-smelling, making Natsu's nose itch. He followed Erza as they entered the tower, or spire, or whatever it was. It may have looked like a tree from the outside, but the interior was made of stone.

"Which way?" asked Erza.

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Lyon.

Natsu wondered why Erza was deferring to Lyon, of all people. She seemed far less confident once they had stepped into the darkness of the tower.

"They're keeping him at the very top of the tower," said Natsu.

"And how do you know that?" asked Lyon.

"You know when the mage in black was screaming bloody murder? That was where the sound was coming from," Natsu shrugged.

"We need to find stairs," said Erza.

They wandered deeper into the tower, this time with Lyon taking point. That was probably fair, since he hadn't gotten to earlier, and he was probably dying to have a chance at being in charge.

"I'm surprised that we're not facing further resistance," said Erza.

"I doubt they get many visitors," said Lyon. "Seeing as this place looks like a tree."

It didn't take too much for them to find the stairwell, a dizzying, spiraling thing.

"Let's get going," said Erza.

They climbed, and they climbed, and they climbed.

They had only gone up a few flights when the scented of lilacs wafted past. The moldy air had dulled his sense of smell, but there was no way he would miss that girly perfume!

"The little rat-man was here," said Natsu, his nose twitching.

It had to be. Although why he was wearing girly perfume was the real mystery.

"How do you know that?" asked Lyon.

"It's that girly lilac perfume again," said Natsu.

"He probably works here, whoever he is," said Erza. "Do you think you can follow him?"

"Sure can," said Natsu, shouldering past to take the lead. After another flight of stairs, Natsu led them off onto the floor.

"I thought we were going to the top?" said Erza.

"The little rat-man's this way."

"You can smell him from here?" asked Lyon.

A blur of motion caught Natsu's eye. In the distance, a small person in a hairy headdress ran on ahead.

"Nah, man. I can see him!" he said, pointing. "Come back here!" he shouted at the fleeing figure.

The green mane of the rat-man's headdress streamed behind him.

"That's not a rat! That's a guy in a mask!" snapped Lyon.

"I never said he wasn't," said Natsu, sprinting ahead and leaving Erza and Lyon in the dust.

The little rat-man wasn't putting up much of a chase. Natsu streaked past, heading deeper into the tower, finally cornering him.

"Who are you?" demanded Natsu, his voice echoing. He ignited his clenched fists, lighting the area with an orange glow. The room had opened out into a cavern.

"I should ask you the same question," said the little rat-man. His voice was low and gravelly.

"I asked first," said Natsu.

"I'm not the one who's trespassing," said the rat-man.

"Po-tay-to, po-_tah_-to," said Natsu, waving his hand.

"They call me Zalty," he said.

"You're gonna be salty when I'm done with you," threatened Natsu.

"I am the keeper of the Tower of Heaven, among other things."

"Oh, yeah? Then where are you keeping the mage in black!" growled Natsu.

"The who?" asked Zalty.

"My friend. The mage in black!" Natsu insisted. Okay, so they weren't friends yet, but they definitely could be.

Zalty laughed.

"I know, you know! You laughed funny," insisted Natsu.

"Are we really having this conversation? Where do you think he is?" asked Zalty.

"Well, I…"

Zalty held out his hand, a small orb appearing in his palm.

"Hey, what's that thing?" asked Natsu.

Zalty grinned from under his mask. The sphere shot from his hand, smacking Natsu in the head.

"Ow! Hey!" squawked Natsu, rubbing the back of his skull.

The sphere rocketed back, bludgeoning Natsu in the gut.

Natsu doubled over. "Dude! Seriously? Ow!" he groaned.

The sphere circled back, knocking him off his feet, and leaving him in a pile on the floor before it returned to Zalty's palm.

"What are you sitting around for?" echoed Erza's voice. She and Lyon had finally caught up.

"It wasn't me. It was Salted Rat," said Natsu, still doubled over. He climbed to his feet with a grunt.

"_Who_?" asked Lyon.

"Him." Natsu pointed.

Lyon sighed, moving to stand next to Natsu.

"Dude, I got this," said Natsu.

"We don't have time for you to play around," said Lyon, preparing to cast his own attack.

"Time is one thing I have plenty of," said Zalty cryptically, tossing the orb up into the air before catching it.

"I'll make it quick," Natsu promised. "I'm frying you alive," he hissed at Zalty. "Order's up! One roasted rat, compliments of the chef!"

Natsu conjured ball of fire, the flames growing between his open palms. He gave a startled shout as his attack spun out of his control, changing direction and shooting towards Erza and Lyon instead.

Lyon cast a hasty shield, dispelling the fireball with his ice. "Watch it!" he barked.

"It totally wasn't me!" said Natsu.

"Whose fire was it?" Lyon demanded.

"Yeah, but… it kind of—"

"I can take your fire forward in time to any point along its trajectory," said Zalty.

Natsu clenched his teeth. This guy was messing with his fire, and he didn't like it.

"What if there's no trajectory?" said Natsu. He took a deep breath, feeling the burn of flames building in his chest. Then he puffed a stream of fire towards the rat-man.

The jet of fire arched into a molten corkscrew, as brilliant as the sun. It lit up the room in a display that even Erza would be in awe of, and that was saying something.

Then, darkness.

Natsu was left to choke on smoke. He coughed, trying to clear the acrid remnants of the spent fire from his lungs.

"I-incombustable!" he wheezed, pounding on his own chest. "D-dude! What are you doing to my magic?"

"I can take your flames back in time," said Zalty. "Back to when they existed as mere embers. Or forward to when they burned themselves out. Back in time or forward in time. It really makes no difference to me."

"You can extinguish his fire, but see how you fare against my steel!" threatened Erza, making to draw her sword.

Lyon clamped down on her arm. "The last thing we need is for him to take your swords backwards and forwards on their trajectory in time."

Erza nodded in understanding. "Yes, I could see how that be a problem. What about your ice?"

"It might as well be water," Lyon reminded her.

"Very well, carry on, Natsu," said Erza.

Natsu hadn't thought about it, but Lyon was making a good point. If he couldn't use magic…

Natsu cracked his knuckles. "Then we settle this the old-fashioned way," he said, grinning.

With a roar, Natsu launched himself at Zalty. He slammed a fist into the rat's jaw, throwing him across the room.

Take _that_ through time.

Natsu jumped after him, pinning him down with his knees and pummeling Zalty with all his might.

Then he was falling. One second, there was floor beneath them, the next it had shimmered its way into nothingness, leaving both opponents to tumble to the level below.

Natsu felt the floor of the level below slam into his back.

"Oof!"

"Natsu!" shouted Erza, her face pale through the darkness as she peered down through the floor. Or the ceiling, now.

"I'm okay," he called back.

"I'll send down a bird," said Lyon.

Zalty was climbing to his feet.

"I didn't get him yet. This might take a while," said Natsu.

"We can't waste any more time here," said Lyon. "The mage in black is waiting, and the man that Erza's been tracking could be getting away!"

"Go, on you guys. I got this!" said Natsu.

"Are you sure?" asked Erza.

Natsu gave a thumbs up. "Get going! Go find the mage in black. I'll catch up," he shouted. "After I take care of Salted Rat," he growled.

* * *

**Calling her Salted Rat isn't quite as good as Natsu's canonical "Ultimate... Milk-sandwich?" But, hey! Trying to work with what I had.  
**

**And... for anybody who wants to choose the next story, this is the last chance to weigh in. I think I originally said that I'd take responses up through the first week of April, so I'll announce the final next week. (Details at the bottom of Ch 19 if you want to see the choices again.)**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, higher in the tower, another foe awaits: **_"Did you see that?" he asked. / "No," she said, rubbing at her good eye. "But that doesn't mean it's not there. What is it?"_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	22. Pro Bono Jobs are Best Ended Quickly

**It's Monday! So the votes are in, and it was close, but the final call on the next story after this is _Toxic_ (Nalu Snow White w/ Evil Queen Juvia). Thanks to everyone who weighed in to help with that decision!**

**This week, let's go further into the Tower of Heaven. This week it's Lyon's turn to narrate.**

**guest: lol! So, I'll confess that I'm not exactly sure what you're referring to. If you're talking about the movie, I don't think I was shy about gushing about how much I love it and wanted to rewrite it. If you're talking about another fanfiction, I doubt I'm the only one doing a rewrite of Princess Bride. (I know I've seen at least two others.) It's such a classic. Now, if you're saying you've seen this particular story elsewhere, then I probably want to know more about that, because I'm not currently cross-posting anywhere else... so that would be a problem. Thanks for reading!**

**CoCo4CooCooPuffs: Maybe Erza was going easy on the others? XD Honestly, I think she's way OP, so I tend to pare her back most of the time, so that was probably the real reason for it. As far as Nali goes, I love me some rare pairs, so it's definitely a possibility. She's a little difficult for me to relate to, so I have to think harder to put myself in her shoes, though. The Lion King is also a story on my list, but I think that one's going to go Natza, because that's an even more difficult ship to write (IMHO), and when else will I get that opportunity? I want to check that one off on my metaphorical bingo-card, lol. Thanks for reading!  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon exchanged glances with Erza.

Zalty may have had a few tricks up his sleeve, but Natsu was more than capable of handling himself. Lyon rubbed at his own face in sympathy. If that first punch was anything to go by, their dragon slayer would be just fine.

"Let's go," he said.

Erza looked back over her shoulder, almost as if unsettled at leaving their teammate behind.

"It's not like there's anything we could do to help," Lyon reminded her. "Fireballs are one thing; impalement is another."

"You're right," said Erza.

"Again? I seem to be on a streak," he commented, trying not to sound too pleased with her approval. He couldn't help it, though. Erza didn't approve of anything either of them did.

"Enjoy it while you can," she remarked.

Though, Erza _did_ let him lead all the way back to the spiraling stairs. Lyon chose not to comment on it. It wasn't much to be proud of. Her faith in him likely resulted from uncertainty caused by her own vision impairment than a vote of confidence in his skills.

Yes, he knew her secret. One need only look at the way she fought, the way she moved, to know. Her weaknesses were clear as day, even if she tried to hide them. And she knew that he knew it. But, ultimately, Lyon understood her desire for secrecy and her need to compensate for her shortcomings. She was proud, much like he was. So, he'd allow Erza her pride, keeping the topic a taboo between them. There were plenty of other things to mock her for, after all.

"To the top, then?" he asked instead.

"To the top," she agreed.

The spiraling staircase coiled around an empty core, blocked off on the right side with a barrier that came up to his waist. The other side, to his left, was walled off completely, hugging the walls of the central shaft. Periodically, this wall would open out and they'd pass a landing that led off onto another floor.

Lyon sprinted up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He could hear Erza just behind him. Every few flights, they'd stop at one of the landings to rest and catch their breaths.

Lyon looked up, trying to count the number of flights left. Even with windows dotting the tower with light at each landing, it was impossible to tell how far they had come or how much further they had to go to reach the top.

It was after their third break that Lyon noticed himself starting to slow down. Erza seemed to be tiring as well.

"Can you keep up?" he asked, massaging his sore calves.

Erza raked her hair out of her sweaty face. "Can _you_?" she panted.

Lyon smirked. "I was stopping for you."

"You needn't worry about that," she said disdainfully. "I'm not that weak."

"All right. No more stopping. All the way to the top, then," he bluffed.

"We'll do the rest in one go," she agreed, making no motion to continue either.

Lyon joined her at the railing, looking over the edge. He couldn't see the bottom.

"It's a long way down," he said.

"How far do you suppose?" asked Erza.

Lyon produced a small chunk of ice, dropping it down the center shaft of the stairwell. For a while, nothing. Then finally, the clatter of breaking ice reached his ears.

"A long way," he concluded. "I'm not sure if we've even made it half-way or not," he added, looking at the darkness above them, penetrated by pinpricks of light.

"Think one of your ice creations could take us to the top?" asked Erza.

"Afraid not," he said. "There's barely enough room for one person to fit there, never mind a bird large enough to carry one of us."

A blur darted past, rushing up the stairs.

"Did you see that?" he asked.

"No," she said, rubbing at her good eye. "But that doesn't mean it's not there. What is it?"

"I don't know. It was going too fast," he said.

Lyon felt something shoot by again, this time going down the stairs.

"There it is again," said Lyon.

"I felt something this time," said Erza. "Who's there?" she shouted.

When it—whatever it was—passed them for the third time, Lyon whirled around, trying to track the motion.

"What on earth?" muttered Lyon.

"Boo."

Lyon gave a startled yell, nearly tumbling backward over the railing. He had come face-to-face with the most hideous looking man. He had a large, gnarled nose, hair like horns, and a crooked grin.

Erza yanked him back to safety with one hand, while drawing her sword with the other.

"Too slow," sneered the man, bowling past them again, throwing them against the floor.

Lyon felt the sharp edges of the stone steps crash into his side. Erza landed, thankfully, next to him. She pushed up, looking around wildly. Erza craned her neck to try to compensate for her blind right eye.

"I don't like opponents I can't see," she huffed.

"It's not just you," he told her quietly. "He's almost too fast to see."

"Name's Racer," said the man smugly. "Can you guess why?"

"Mother had no imagination?" drawled Lyon, helping Erza to her feet. He moved stand back to back with her. They rarely fought like this. Actually, Lyon couldn't remember them doing this, ever. He and Erza were both more inclined to fight on their own. Still, instinctively, they both knew that this was the most defensible position, especially in close quarters.

Before he knew what happened, Racer had rushed them again, driving a knee into Lyon's jaw. His face exploded in pain.

Erza cried out as a right hook smashed her against the wall with a fleshy thud. Lyon winced at the sound. Before they could pick themselves up again, Racer came in for a second round, knocking the wind out of Lyon as he, too, was thrown like a rag doll.

Lyon swore. This was _not_ working.

"Split up," he whispered, nodding up the stairs. "He can't get us both at once."

"He's so fast," said Erza. "You think we can outrun him?"

"We're going to have to. It's impossible to fight what you can't see," said Lyon.

"You go first," said Erza. "I'll stay back and hold him off."

"I think not. I've got twice the chance you've got," he reminded her, with a subtle nod at her eye. He usually tried to be a little sensitive to her insecurities, but now wasn't the time.

Erza frowned at that, but she nodded.

"I'm right behind you," he said.

"Hey, where are you getting off to?" crowed Racer, starting to sprint after Erza.

Lyon shifted into a defensive crouch, his hands ready with ice. Racer thought he was fast? Well, Lyon was faster.

Taking a page from the mage in black, Lyon molded a hedgehog, his fingers like lightning. Lethal spikes glistened, even with what little light reached them. He strapped the contraption on his back before scrambling after Erza. Racer skidded to a stop, probably eying the wicked barbs.

"What's the matter, Racer?" shouted Lyon. "That precious speed of yours about to get you skewered?"

Racer growled, driving a careful foot through the ball of ice before continuing to make chase. Lyon had to be even faster if he wanted to win.

Lyon looked over his shoulder, formed a sleek panther to spring after the speedster, hoping to slow him down. Racer slipped out of the way easily.

"Impossible…" muttered Lyon.

The panther turned, bounding up the stairs to make a second pass. The speedster dodged again, vaulting onto the beast's back, whooping wildly as he rode the creature up the stairs. It looked almost like the panther had sped up as soon as Racer touched it.

Lyon let the panther dissipate. He was almost positive that _his_ panther had been faster when Racer had been on it. Had Racer been able to control his ice? That didn't make any sense…

What was going on? Lyon readied his next attack, preparing to test his theory.

"Pay attention, bird brain!" he barked. Lyon sent a flurry of ice sparrows to slow Racer down. They nipped at his hair and his clothes as he sped past.

"What's that supposed to do?" asked Racer, swatting them away easily and dropping them harmlessly to the ground.

Lyon was sure of it now. The birds definitely moved faster when Racer touched them.

Lyon couldn't tell if Racer was faster or if he just seemed that way, but regardless, anything he touched seemed to inherit that speed. In the meantime, he and Erza, and any attack they launched, would be as slow as ever.

That meant there was no way to stop him… not from here, at least.

"Erza, wait," he called.

Erza slowed half a step, allowing him to catch up. "What is it?"

"It doesn't matter what we do to him," said Lyon. "He'll follow us regardless. It's a matter of time before he catches us."

"What are you proposing?"

There wasn't much he _could_ do about it. The only way to win was to remove Racer from the equation.

"Will you be able to reach the top?" asked Lyon seriously.

"What does that mean?" asked Erza, frowning.

"Will you be able to reach the top?" he repeated. "Or don't you have the skills?" He dangled the challenge in front of her, as was their custom.

"Of course, I can do it," said Erza. "Why wouldn't I?" she asked hotly.

"Make sure you do," said Lyon.

Lyon had spent the last few years looking for Ultear. Trying to find the answers to what happened to his master that day. But it didn't matter what he found. Master Ur was dead. Nothing would change that.

For all he knew, Ultear could have been dead too. His entire quest could have been a futile one.

Despite that, he still searched. He had to, because he still loved her and he couldn't just accept that she was gone for good. Even though he tried to convince himself that it was temporary, the pain of losing her was the worst he'd ever experienced. No man deserved that. Not even the mage in black. It might have been too late for him and Ultear, but it wasn't too late for the mage in black and the princess.

They could still find happiness. Them... and Erza.

Erza especially. She had finally found the man with the seal over his eye. She was so close to achieving her goal, far closer than Lyon was.

Lyon never knew that the man that she had been searching for had killed her fiancé. He never even knew she ever _had_ a fiancé. But now that he did, her quest felt more personal to him than ever. If their roles had been reversed, and he knew that Ultear had been killed, and he knew who had done it? Then he, too, would have stopped at nothing to bring her murderer to justice.

Even though Lyon couldn't stand how high-strung Erza was, and how difficult she was to work with, over time, he had grown to respect her as a comrade and a friend. She deserved the opportunity to finish what she started. She deserved a chance at peace. At happiness.

Erza had that chance now. The man with the seal over his eye was within her reach. As long as she made it to the top, that was.

Lyon sighed, shaking his head. "This is more than I bargained for on a pro bono job…" he muttered, his jaw tightening in resolution.

"Lyon? What—"

Lyon ignored her, pushing her aside, throwing himself at Racer. "This ends now!" he snarled.

Racer, expecting ice, was too shocked to react. Lyon managed to latch onto one of Racer's legs, pulling them both to the ground.

Suddenly, Racer didn't feel so fast.

"Hey, let go!" barked Racer.

"Not on your life," said Lyon.

The men grappled, rolling down the stairs as Lyon fought to keep hold of the troublesome speedster.

Racer hauled them both to their feet, trying to get free. But Lyon wouldn't let go. If he let go, it was over.

But he needed to end this somehow. He needed to take Racer somewhere where he couldn't keep chasing after them.

As Racer struggled, Lyon leaned in. Deliberately, he threw them off balance, tipping them over the edge. Down the hollow center of the stairwell.

He held on for dear life.

Somewhere above him, Erza shrieked his name.

It was a long way down.

* * *

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_She had been too weak to save Simon. She was a scared little girl, who stood by and did nothing. She couldn't save Lyon. Again, she just stood by and did absolutely nothing. What good was she?_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	23. Phantoms of the Past

**It's Monday! Hope everyone's staying healthy and staying inside!**

**Completely forgot to mention this last week. One of my favorite things about this section of the story is the nods to canon. Things are the same, but not quite (which is my favorite flavor of canon reference). Natsu and his Salted Rat (instead of Ultimate Milk Sandwich). Lyon figuring out Racer's magic. Since we didn't have actual birds inside the Tower, we had to go with something different. Lyon came up with a theory (which we know is canonically incorrect... that's not quite how Racer's magic works), but he was still able to act as a result.  
**

**But now... we're down to just Erza. Which is also canonically typical, no? Actually, I think canonically it's a toss up between Natsu and Erza as to who gets the best finishing move (since Natsu is the main, and Erza is Mashima's 'best girl' when it comes to combat). In this case, I thought Erza was the right choice, mostly because she's the leader of Team Mercenary and the one with the plot-relevant-backstory.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Lyon? _Lyon_!" shrieked Erza.

Racer's screams echoed through the darkness, mingling with a Cra-crack! Cra-crack! Cra-crack!

An involuntary whimper escaped Erza's lips.

Was that somebody's arm? Or their skull? Erza could hear the sickening thunk of bone against stone as they fell down the too-narrow shaft. Catching. Breaking. On every. Single. Floor.

Then finally, silence.

Lyon had stopped Racer.

Lyon had…

A horrible sound reached Erza's ears. A wail, like the keening of an injured animal. It took Erza a moment to realize that she was the one making it. She clamped her mouth shut, clenching her jaw.

Stupid Lyon! That idiot! That absolute idiot!

Erza pounded her fist against the stone.

She let out a shuddering breath. "Lyon, you idiot! Why would you do that? WHY?!"

This was almost as bad as losing Simon.

She had been too weak to save Simon. She was a scared little girl, who stood by and did nothing. She couldn't save Lyon. Again, she just stood by and did absolutely nothing. What good was she?

Her knuckles throbbed, the pain grounding her. It was too late for that. Regrets would serve no purpose.

She could not fall apart. Lyon's sacrifice would not be in vain. It was up to her to find the mage in black. She had to. She could save him. But now, she had to do it alone.

With renewed determination, Erza marched up the stairs. She focused only on putting one foot in front of the other. She had to reach the mage in black.

Erza wasn't sure how long she walked, but she didn't stop. She wouldn't stop to rest, and she couldn't stop to think. She had to reach the top.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, Erza stopped passing the regularly spaced landings. Did that mean that she was near the top? She squinted up through the darkness. The only thing worse than having only one good eye was _being in the dark _with only one good eye. That was, of course, much worse than being in the dark alone, though that described her situation as well.

As she squinted through the darkness, Erza saw the outline of, what looked to be, a door of some sort. That had to be where they were keeping the mage in black.

Towards the darkened entrance, Erza saw a shimmer.

"Who's there?" she asked.

"Erza?" said the voice.

Erza's heart stopped for an instant.

No, it couldn't be… She'd recognize that smooth baritone anywhere.

As the figure stepped forward, Erza saw someone she thought she would never see again.

"_Simon_?" she gasped.

For it was. He looked just as she remembered him. Tall and strong and handsome. Except… something was… _different_. Wrong.

A prickling chill inched its way down her back.

"But how…?" she asked. "No… You were…" Erza broke off, shaking her head.

"Dead?" he asked coldly, his expression unpleasant.

Erza nodded. Her eyes landed on the blossom of red that covered his chest. That, too, she remembered.

"You would know, wouldn't you?" asked Simon. "You were there. You let it happen."

"What? What are you saying?" asked Erza.

Simon stepped closer, his expression shifting into one of sorrow. "Surely you haven't forgotten. The day that I died?"

"Of course not," said Erza. "I-It still haunts me. Every single time I close my eyes. I see you there. And _him_. Jellal."

And for a moment, Erza was seventeen again, frozen in place as Jellal massacred her fiancé in her own home.

"You let him do this," accused Simon. "I told you that I needed a place to hide, but you failed me. You let him kill me."

"No." Erza shook her head. "No, that's not true."

"I thought I could count on you," said Simon, disappointment tinging his voice. "But you didn't do anything. You just stood there and watched while he murdered me."

"I _couldn't_ do anything to stop it," she whispered. She was useless. So useless.

"I loved you," he said. "I tried to protect you. I did everything in my power to keep you out of it. But when I needed you, where were you?"

"No. Simon, no," said Erza.

"I thought I could count on you, but… but you let me die."

"I tried… Simon. He…" Erza whimpered, hand rising to cover her glass eye, a phantom pain jetting through her skull. She could almost feel the blood that had flowed hot and sticky from between her fingers as she clutched at her injury.

"That's not an excuse."

"I'm sorry. I never got to say it. But I'm sorry," choked Erza. "I was too weak then. I couldn't stop him. But not anymore. I swore I'd avenge you. And I've been trying. For all these years—"

"For all these years, you've done _nothing_," interrupted Simon.

"That's not true," she said. "I've been trying to get stronger. I've been trying to find Jellal. I've been trying to bring him to justice. And I've managed to chase him all the way here. I'll find him," she promised.

"You don't care at all. Erza, I loved you…"

"I'll avenge you! Just let me—please, _please_. Simon," she begged. "I know I've disappointed you. I know it's taken longer than it should. But I've found someone who can help us. After all these years, we'll be able to get our revenge," said Erza.

Another figure emerged through the darkness. "Doing a fantastic job with that one," he drawled.

Erza's eyes flew wide as she recognized her departed teammate. "Lyon!"

Lyon stepped forward, his neck bent at an impossible angle. Blood smeared down his face, oozing from the crushed side of his skull. "You dragged the rest of us all over the kingdom on your little revenge quest. And for what? You couldn't even get it right."

"That's not fair," said Erza. "You knew full well—"

"That you were incompetent? You were useless as a leader, weak as a warrior, and pathetic as a friend. I wish I never put my faith in you," spat Lyon.

Erza flinched, shying back as if she had been slapped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she muttered.

"Sorry isn't good enough, I'm afraid," said Simon.

"This is your fault," said Lyon. "I'd still be alive, if not for you. I'd be with Ultear. I would have found her already."

Erza shook her head, her voice dying in her throat. Over and over, she mouthed her apologies. Words that she couldn't say, hadn't gotten to say, that she couldn't say enough.

"And what do you plan to do about this?" asked Lyon. "It's your fault."

"It's all because of you," Simon agreed.

They advanced on her, gliding on silent steps. Then Simon and Lyon merged, their faces overlapping.

But there was something wrong with that image. Erza rubbed at her eyes. The glass prosthetic in her right socket was hard and smooth beneath her eyelid.

Erza sucked in a startled breath, cupping her blind right eye. For once, her damaged vision was working to her advantage.

She had thought Simon had looked a little bit strange. And now she knew why. He didn't look different. No, he was exactly as she remembered him during his last moments.

But there was a subtle difference, the difference between looking at a painting by an amazing artist and looking out an actual window. If she paid attention, she could see it now. Simon and Lyon looked… flat.

She had been too overwhelmed by emotion to realize it, but she could see it now. There was something too smooth about Simon's face. A lack of depth in Lyon's expressions.

"It's not real," said murmured Erza. "You're not real. Neither of you are!" she shouted.

Forcing her shaky limbs to cooperate, Erza requipped into her armor, a sword in either hand. She made to cut through the specters, her blade finding nothing but air. They disappeared, fading like a memory as soon as her sword reached them.

"How could you, Erza?" asked Simon. "Haven't you hurt me enough?"

Erza whirled around. Simon had reappeared behind her.

"You're not real," she repeated.

"Of course, I'm real," said Lyon, from her other side.

Erza ignored him. He couldn't hurt her. But there was somebody here who could.

Illusions didn't come from nowhere. _Somebody_ had to be creating them. Where was he? Where was the caster? If she defeated him, his illusions would disappear as well.

Erza looked around, her limited field of vision hampering her. Whoever this was could easily stay out of her line of sight. She needed another plan.

If she couldn't see them…

"What are you doing now?" sighed Simon. "Erza?"

Erza didn't bother responding, instead shutting her eyes in concentration as she requipped into her Heaven's Wheel armor. She summoned her swords, one by one, pivoting them into a neat circle around her.

She launched them in all directions, straight and true.

A pained yell reached her ears.

Her eyes flew open. Her fallen comrades had vanished. Erza charged up the stairs, following her ears. At the top was a pale man with black hair. He looked shocked, gasping in pain, clutching desperately at the wound in his chest.

Erza took no joy in plunging her blade through the man's chest, finishing him quickly. He toppled, his final breath rattling in his lungs.

Dutifully, Erza brushed her palm over the dead man's unseeing eyes, closing them. "Unlike you, I don't believe in desecration of the dead," she said, stepping over the conjurer's corpse.

With the conjurer behind her, Erza was at the top of the tower.

She tried the door. Thankfully, it was unlocked. That was the first thing that had gone right all day.

The room she was in looked like a cross between a laboratory and a dungeon. Chains hung from the walls and ceiling. A table covered with books was at the center of the room. Complicated-looking equipment lined shelves.

The mage in black hung limp against a wooden platform. The chains around his wrists were the only thing keeping him from falling. One of the devices, some kind of a gun or a canon, was directed towards him.

He raised his head weakly as she approached. "Back for more?" he croaked, his mouth pulling into a smirk.

"I'd rather not do this again, if it's all the same to you," said Erza.

What had they done to him? If Erza didn't know she was looking at the same person, she wouldn't even have recognized him. His insufferable humor was the only thing this battered man had in common with the mage she had fought. Would he really be able to help her defeat Jellal? Would he even survive long enough for her to reunite him with his princess?

She needed to get him down, but she didn't have time to bother with keys. She doubted his captors left them handy. She drew her sword, raising it with both hands.

"It's you…" he said. "The psycho red-head…"

Psycho red-head? Was that how she came across? With a yell, she brought it down against the chain, annoyance fueling her strike.

"It's Erza," she said. The blade bit the smooth links but left little more than a scratch.

"Gray," he whispered.

Erza requipped the sword away, replacing it with a two-handed axe. She brought the axe high above her head, swing it with all her might. The sharpened edge tore the metal links like wet paper.

Gray sagged, flopping forward without the bindings to hold him up.

"One more," she said, freeing Gray's other wrist.

Loosened from his bonds, Gray collapsed, falling limp. Torture had left him too weak to stand. Erza managed to catch him just before he hit the floor.

"I hope you're worth it, Gray."

* * *

**And now, we've reunited Team... well, I guess it's just Erza and Gray. And Natsu, if he ever stops playing with his food. XD  
**

**Again, here we've got an attempt at solving a canonical problem without the same canonical tools. Since canon-Erza had a magic eye, she could see through Midnight's illusions. But here, Erza had a glass eye. What to do? I was thinking about illusions... in particular, 3D movies. Conventional 3D technology works because polarized glasses help give each eye a slightly different image that your brain interprets as 3D. As far as I can tell, it won't work if Erza's only has one good-eye. (Where polarized glasses figure into Midnight's magic, I don't know...) Hopefully that makes sense.**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, just because they've made it to the top doesn't mean it's over. Now they have to make their way back down: **_Erza heard something crackly scraping across the stone steps. What was that sound?_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	24. Defeat from the Fangs of Victory

**It's Monday! I'm really excited about this chapter!  
**

**guest: You're probably right. My writing's pretty formulaic. I try not to be, but I'm a newbie. Plus I only really liked the initial arcs, so they inspire most of what I come up with. The 413 episode has inspired at least three scenarios (only one of which has been published so far). Thanks for the feedback.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Erza descended the stairs with Gray on her back. The journey down felt much shorter than the climb to the top.

"How'd you know?" asked Gray, his voice hoarse from screaming. "How'd you know where to find me?"

"Our meeting was no coincidence," said Erza shortly. "The princess is to be wed tonight."

"Lucy! We have to stop the wedding!" said Gray, regaining enough strength to thrash wildly in an attempt to escape Erza's grasp.

"Stop that," she commanded, making to glare over her shoulder. Her neck didn't turn far enough to make eye contact, but the intent was there. "Stop it, or I'll drop you. Do you really think you're in any state to rescue her on your own?"

Gray stilled, giving a reluctant sigh. "I don't have any magic left," he admitted.

"None at all?" asked Erza, disappointed. She had been counting on Gray's help.

"Pretty much," said Gray. "I might have a tiny bit left. Not sure. They pretty much sucked me dry with that extractor thing. Least, it feels that way."

"Some help you'll be," said Erza.

"I'll still fight though," promised Gray. "Whatever it takes to get Lucy back. I can't just let her marry Laxus. I love her."

"I hope so," said Erza. "My comrades and I thought the same. That's why we wanted to rescue you in the first place."

"Comrades?" asked Gray. "You mean the other two who were helping you kidnap her? Why were you doing that anyways?"

"It's a long story, one that is no longer important," said Erza, pressing her lips together.

"Where are your friends?" asked Gray.

"…I am the only one who made it to the top of this accursed tower," admitted Erza. "Reaching you was no small feat."

"You mean the others… They…?"

"We may still be able to meet up with Natsu," said Erza. "Assuming he won his fight."

"…I owe you one," said Gray.

Erza gave a bitter chuckle. "_I'm_ not the one you should be thanking," she said.

It wouldn't be long before she passed the place where she and Lyon had faced the speedster. It was _his_ sacrifice that had made Gray's rescue possible.

Erza's chest gave a pull of sorrow. She hadn't had time to mourn him then. She'd have to pay her respects now.

"Give me a minute?" she asked Gray.

"Of course."

Erza bent to set Gray down. Then she looked over the railing where Lyon had made his last stand.

She drew her sword and saluted the man who had given his life for their mission. But the gesture felt hollow and incomplete.

"The ice mage?" asked Gray softly. He had moved on shaky legs to join her.

"Yes."

"He was a formidable opponent," offered Gray.

"He was," said Erza softly. "And a great friend."

Lyon was more than just a friend. He was her teammate. At times, despite how they fought, she would have even called him her partner. It seemed wrong to leave without offering something more.

But she had no tribute, nothing to offer her fallen friend. Nothing seemed good enough.

Well, maybe she did have something… Erza's hands rose to the dangling earrings that she wore. These were her favorite pair. Her lucky pair. She had been wearing them the day she and Simon first met. The day she had cheated death facing Jellal. The day she had teamed up with Lyon and Natsu for the first time.

She had so many memories associated with these special earrings. For a moment, Erza didn't want to give them up. After all, what would Lyon do with earrings? Had he been alive, he would certainly tease her for her silly tribute. At the same time, Erza couldn't think of a better purpose for her most personal possession.

Without hesitation, Erza removed one of the earrings, holding it in her palm. Then solemnly, she dropped it down the hollow center of the stairwell. She watched as it twinkled out of sight, swallowed by darkness, never to be seen again. Just like Lyon.

Like her earrings, part of her would remain here evermore. Her other earring would continue on, the regretful other half of an incomplete set.

"How poetic," came a rough, mocking tone.

Whirling around, Erza spotted a man standing a flight below them, his lone figure illuminated by the light from the landing.

Erza felt like she was looking into a distorted mirror. There were some differences, of course. Their features weren't quite identical, and she was fair where he was tanned. But just like her, man had red hair, though his was darker. Just like her, he was blind in one eye, though she hid her injury with a glass prosthetic. And just like her, he looked like he was ready to fight.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he sneered.

"Stay here," she said to Gray. "I'll handle him."

She'd protect Gray. They'd fought to rescue him. She wasn't about to let harm befall him now.

"Careful," said Gray. "This guy's a—"

But Erza was already requipping into her Flight Armor. She snarled, launching herself down the stairs at him.

Instead of engaging, like she was expecting, the man dodged out of the way at the last minute, leaving her to meet air.

He turned around, heading further down the stairs. He seemed to vanish into the darkness.

"Where'd he go?" she muttered, making to follow. She didn't want another enemy running around. She needed to dispose of him.

"Erza, wait!" shouted Gray, stumbling after her. "It's a—"

Erza heard something crackly scraping across the stone steps. What was that sound?

"—trap!" Gray's voice didn't reach her in time.

Something dark and massive shot out at her, faster than lightning itself. It rustled and hissed, moving in an eerily familiar, yet entirely inhuman, fashion.

As light from the windows struck against its inky purple scales, Erza recognized it for what it was, her stomach tightening anxiously. The creature was enormous, as thick around as her thigh and at least three or four times longer than she was tall. It coiled and slithered, looking unsettlingly spineless as it slinked across the stone.

Erza had never seen a snake that huge in her life. But she didn't have time to respond as the serpent surged towards her. Its jaw unhinged wide enough to swallow her entire head, revealing a pair of glistening fangs like deadly twin daggers. It loomed, stretching up to tower above her as it poised to strike.

Something knocked her out of the way, just as the snake dove towards her.

Erza turned, just in time to see the two poisonous fangs plunge themselves into Gray's arm. He bit back a cry.

"Gray!"

"Now, we're even," panted Gray through gritted teeth.

"Are you all right?" she muttered. She raised her swords above her head, positioning herself between Gray and the snake.

"I'm f-fine," he insisted. "Don't… don't take your eyes off it."

Erza nodded, pivoting on heel, trying to keep the snake in her sight. Of course, keeping the snake visible was easy. It was so large that it was impossible to miss. Figuring out where the head had gone was the difficult part. It moved fast for such a large creature.

As the snake dodged her blow, Erza brought her weapon downwards, stabbing at the snake's fleshy body. The snake hissed, wheeling around to attack. Erza countered, but just barely.

Hitting the fleshy part of the creature wasn't going to help. She wasn't strong to do it any real damage, and she'd probably just serve to antagonize it further. Instead, Erza brought her swords upwards, trying to ward off the snake's head with quick slashes. That head was the dangerous part.

That's when Erza heard, more than saw, Gray stumble.

Dread filled her stomach when she glanced over her shoulder. Erza didn't think it was possible for Gray to look any worse than he had when he was first rescued, but now his face had gone ghost-pale, his expression pained. He staggered backward, one hand clutching at his other arm.

"What's the matter?!"

"…poison," he wheezed, curling forward around himself. He sank to the ground as if in slow motion, wedged against one of the steps.

"What? No!" Fight forgotten, Erza scrambled towards him, her knees hitting the stone hard in her haste.

Erza pried Gray's hand away to reveal an injury, the flesh swollen, the skin over it red and shiny.

Weakly, Gray batted Erza away. The barest trickle of magic danced at his fingertips.

"What are you doing?" asked Erza.

"…f-freezing," said Gray, his words starting to slur.

"No! No, you can't die!" shouted Erza. "Lyon didn't give his life for this!"

"No. Freezing," whispered Gray, tucking his knees to his chest. "Ice. S-stop." With shaky hands, he reached for the bite again, tapping it gently. From there, a slick of ice spread, sliding down his arm and across his shoulder.

"Stop? Stop what?" she asked frantically. "Gray!"

Gray didn't answer. Instead, the ice around him grew. It spread down his torso, growing thick across his chest. Even his face became covered in ice. The sparks of Gray's magic tapered out, leaving his legs exposed. And where he lay was a malformed, bean-shaped lump of ice.

"No!" she shrieked.

* * *

**And just when Erza thought things couldn't get any worse... Of course, she should have known that today wasn't going to go her way. No strawberries is always a bad omen... (Doesn't that chapter feel like it was so long ago? Erza probably agrees.)  
**

**But all is not lost...**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, help is on the way: **_A blur of flame charged up the stairs. / "Natsu!" gasped Erza._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	25. The Return

**It's Monday! And it's hopeless (for Erza), but not for long...**

**So, the snake... when I was picking the canon call-backs for our mercenary trio, Erza had so many good ones. Since I wanted villains who would have been connected to Jellal and Ultear, that limited things a little bit. For Erza, I was torn between her epic fight with Midnight and the thing with Cubellios. Of course, in canon, Erza's the one who gets bitten, but I was inspired by a short by Mnemosyne's Elegy where Gray ends up taking the hit instead. Circumstances being what they are, if Erza was incapacitated now, she and Gray would both be done for. (Regardless of how much I like Gray and want to believe in his awesomeness... He's was pretty much down for the count even before the snake got to him.)**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Gray was dead.

She was useless, and she'd failed once again. She couldn't protect anyone. She wasn't good for anything. Gray was dead.

With him died her only chance of rescuing the princess. Her only help at defeating Jellal. Worst of all, Lyon had sacrificed himself for nothing.

But Erza didn't have time to dwell on that problem. She needed to make sure she didn't suffer the same fate.

With a bite so deadly, she could take no chances. Erza requipped into her Purgatory Armor. Fangs or not, no bite could penetrate the thick plates, and she'd challenge it to get past the defensive spikes that decorated her bracers and greaves.

The serpent was as thick around as her thigh, fierce and fast. For the first time, Erza noticed the slash over the snake's right eye.

It was blind on one side. Just like she was.

She'd stay to the side, in its blind spot, just like Gray had when he'd fought her. If she stayed to the side, she would have the advantage.

Erza shuffled out of the way, relying on her armor for protection. She wasn't as fast now that she had changed armors, but it would have to do.

Almost as if reading her thoughts, the snake wheeled its head around, following her movements. Erza moved again, but the snake followed.

"I hear your little friend," the snake hissed, its voice unsettlingly familiar. Where had she heard it before?

A blur of flame charged up the stairs.

"Natsu!" gasped Erza.

"Erza!"

"What took you so long?!" she demanded.

"I dunno. Guess I got sidetracked," he said.

"Sidetracked?!" she bellowed.

"No worries, Erza. I got this!" said Natsu, flashing a thumbs up.

"Be careful, Natsu," shouted Erza. "It's poisonous."

The snake lashed out at him, but Natsu jumped out of the way just in time.

"I like my snakes barbecued!" he crooned.

Natsu took a deep breath, prepared to roast their opponent, but the serpent dodged, gliding out of harm's reach.

"Hey! Get back here!" said Natsu.

"How is he doing that?" she muttered. Every time Natsu tried to attack, the snake managed to get the upper hand.

A second snake appeared, slithering up the steps.

Erza was about to shout a warning to Natsu when she saw how the crystalline this snake looked. There was no mistaking it. This second snake was incredibly lifelike, but it wasn't real.

"Ice?" she whispered.

Erza shot a glance over at Gray. The giant lump of ice was right where she left it. It couldn't have been Gray. And if Gray didn't create the ice, then…

"It can't be…" gasped Erza.

"It's Lyon!" said Natsu, pumping his fist in the air. "About time, man!"

Erza wasn't sure how, but there could be no other explanation. Even Natsu had come to the same conclusion. Of course, Natsu's conclusions left much to be desired… but, in this case, Erza couldn't help the flutter of hope that bubbled in her chest.

The ice snake wrestled with the other serpent, moving in for the attack. But again, every time the ice snake got close, the purple snake would slip out of its reach. Every attack missed at the last minute.

From time to time, Erza would notice how the purple snake would pause. It raised its head, drawing itself up, almost like it was… listening.

_I can hear your little friend._ Wasn't that what it had said?

"Natsu. Natsu, his ears!" said Erza.

"What about them?" he asked.

"He's listening for us," said Erza.

"You mean our movements?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure. Something. Either way. We need to take out his ears!"

"Coming right up!" shouted Natsu, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs to capacity. Then he let out the most horrible noise. It wasn't particularly loud, but even Erza found it unpleasant. Wincing, she covered her ears.

The snake's eyes shot wide. It looked around wildly, as if disoriented.

The ice snake was unaffected. It loomed, rising to its full height to attack, the two slithering over each other in a dance of death. The ice serpent tightened around the other, crushing its opponent between its coils. It didn't stop until the purple snake stopped moving.

With a shimmer, the limp body of the purple snake shifted and morphed, apparently unable to sustain its form in death. Basked in light, the snake's body writhed and shrunk, convulsing as it reshaped itself. Finally, it went still, and in its place was the one-eyed redhead from earlier.

That _thing_ was human?

Erza shuddered.

Movement drew her eye back to the icy beast that had helped them. Its task completed, the ice snake coiled in an almost smug fashion. Then it dissipated in an achingly familiar haze of magic.

"That's two for me," gloated a familiar voice, one that Erza thought she'd never hear again. "Losing your touch?"

"Lyon!" gasped Erza. "You're such an idiot!" she mumbled, breathless.

Lyon snorted. "Hello to you too."

Unable to contain herself, Erza launched herself at him. She flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"Ngh—Easy, Erza!" Lyon gritted out. He grimaced, shoulders hunching as he curled in on himself, a hand hovering just below his ribs. "Ow…"

"Sorry!" she let go of him hastily. "I just…" She shook her head, at a loss for words. "I—I thought you were dead."

"Takes more than that," Lyon said dismissively, though it looked like he was in pain, his expression just a little too tight.

"How did you manage to survive?"

Lyon managed to look smug. "My ice-make magic, of course. Broke my fall at the last second with a little help from my eagle friends. The other fellow wasn't quite so lucky. Though it still took me a while before I felt up to rejoining you," he added as he massaged his knuckles against his sternum.

"Are you… okay?" she asked.

"I'll live. Though let's add that to the list of things I regret doing. The next time I say I'm _not_ working pro bono, I mean it," he said sternly.

"Fair enough," said Erza, unable to keep from smiling.

"This is yours, I think," said Lyon. He dug into his pocket, pulling something out. He pressed it into Erza's palm, folding her fingers around the hard edges.

"My earring!" said Erza.

"I thought I recognized it. I found it on the stairs on my way up," said Lyon. "It was the strangest thing."

Erza put her recovered earring with its mate. She felt stupid doing that now, with Lyon standing right in front of her, very much alive. "I—I must have dropped it," said Erza lamely, her voice flat and expressionless.

"That so?" asked Lyon. "For some reason, I thought you might have thrown it, maybe. Intentionally. Left it behind for a dearly departed friend, perhaps?" he smirked, leaving her torn.

Erza just gave a fond scoff in response, her face heating up.

When she thought he was dead, she'd have given anything to hear his voice again, even if it was to gloat in that irritating way of his. But now that he was back, she wanted nothing more than to punch the smug smile off his face.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "It's your good luck charm, right? Who knows? Maybe that's the reason I got lucky today."

"I thought you didn't believe in sentiment," said Erza.

"I don't," he admitted. "Not usually, at least. But enough about that. Where's the mage in black?" asked Lyon.

"Dead," said Erza, nodding at the lump of ice that had been the mage in black. "His name's Gray. He saved my life."

"No…" said Natsu, shaking his head in disbelief. "What happened?"

"That snake happened," said Erza bitterly.

Lyon bowed his head solemnly. "We owe it to Gray to rescue the princess, now more than ever."

"Um, guys? How do we know he's actually dead?" asked Natsu.

"I saw it. I saw the snake bite him," said Erza. "He was overcome by the poison. Then he froze himself."

"He froze himself?" repeated Lyon, perking up.

"Y-yes?"

"How close to death was he?"

Erza shook her head grimly. "Close. What difference does it make?" asked Erza.

"I think might I know what he did," said Lyon. "If this worked, he's a genius. And I don't say that lightly."

"I don't understand," said Erza.

"Erza, he tried to stop his own heart."

"I don't get it," interjected Natsu.

"If his heart isn't beating, the poison won't spread," she said slowly, her eyes widening in understanding.

Lyon nodded. "He's put himself in a state of stasis. We might be able to save him. If it worked, that is."

"What do you mean, 'if'?" asked Natsu.

"See these patches here, where the ice is thinner?" asked Lyon, pointing at Gray's head and near his shins. "He must have run out of magic."

"What does that mean?" asked Erza.

"It comes down to whether or not he managed to freeze himself in time," explained Lyon.

"Okay, so what now? I'll just melt him out?" asked Natsu, his hands blazing.

"Stop that!" barked Lyon. "Natsu, stop! If we thawed him now, he'd have mere moments to live."

"It would take a miracle to save him," agreed Erza. "Without something to reverse the effects of the venom, then Gray's as good as dead. We can't do this on our own."

"Hey, that's okay. I know where we can find a miracle," said Natsu suddenly.

"What?"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"I saw this poster for this Miracle Mak person," said Natsu, fumbling the flyer out of his pocket. "Maybe he could help."

Erza snatched the paper out of his hands. "Miracles, resurrections," she read. "Why didn't you say something earlier?" she demanded.

"I guess I forgot," said Natsu, shrugging.

"Idiot," sighed Lyon.

"Never mind that. What are we waiting for?" asked Natsu. "Let's go!"

"Yes. Let's pay this so-called miracle worker a visit," said Erza.

With a weary sigh, Lyon nodded.

"Need a hand?" Erza asked, noticing the careful way Lyon was carrying himself.

"Hardly." Lyon waved her off. "I do not require assistance."

Erza snorted, though she hadn't really expected him to admit weakness. Lyon was unbearably pigheaded. That meant that she'd have to keep an eye on him. And the least she could do was spare him any additional strain.

"Natsu, get Gray," ordered Erza.

"Earlier it was Erza. Now it's Gray. Why do I always get stuck carrying the ice block around?" complained Natsu.

"Next time, I'll trade you, and _you_ can take a swan dive from the top of the stairs," said Lyon pointedly.

"You're right. Compared to dealing with you, handling Gray will be a walk in the park. C'mon, Ice Block, ol' buddy," said Natsu, giving Gray's icy shell a friendly thump. "Looks like it's you and me."

* * *

**Yay for the team being back together! And now we know why Natsu calls Gray the Ice Block (in this universe).  
**

**I know that I'm playing fast and loose with the rules with Cobra = Cubellios, but I thought it would be a fun twist. Did you guess it? (I figured with the snake being the third character who was down an eye, somebody would suspect something was up.)**

**Also, Cobra hears thoughts, not movements, but Erza and Natsu had no way of knowing that, so it was a reasonable first guess. As for the ice-snake, it doesn't have any thoughts, but Lyon would... and that was what Cobra was picking up on.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_The inside of the tree was hollowed into a sort of sitting room with high ceilings. Beyond that, it looked like there were more rooms. Natsu wasn't sure how all of this fit into a tree, but he supposed that was why this was 'Miracle' Mak's._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	26. Miracle Mak's

**It's Monday! Now that we've taken our meet-the-mercinaries detour, we're back to a more familiar plot for the next 8 chapters as we continue to visit Miracle Mak's. (See what I did there? XD) For my film buffs, Miracle Max is another scene that's brilliant on screen, but I don't think that brand of humor translates as well into this format. **

**With Gray incapacitated, Team Mercenary has to keep carrying the baton for now. Pay special attention to Natsu. He does the least in this chapter, so he should be the least vested, but there's a reason why I ultimately rewrote this chapter to give him PoV instead of Erza or Lyon.  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Are you out of breath already?" asked Natsu, watching as Lyon struggled to keep up.

The ice mage was doubled over, bracing himself against his knees. One arm had curled around his middle.

"Shut up, Natsu," muttered Lyon irritably. He dragged his wrist across his sweaty forehead.

"Come on, I'm the one doing the heavy lifting here," said Natsu. "You can't be tired already."

"Do we need to take a break?" Erza asked Lyon, placing a surprisingly gentle hand on his back.

"It's fine," said Lyon, straightening. "I'm just a little worn out from earlier. Nothing to worry about."

Who did Lyon think he was kidding? Even Natsu could see how woozy he seemed.

"Five jewels says that it's worse than he's letting on," offered Natsu.

"Shut up, you idiot!" hissed Lyon.

Erza sighed. "If you aren't feeling up this, you need to say so," said Erza, her voice soft, though it brooked no argument. "There will be no judgement if you have to sit this one out."

"I think not," insisted Lyon. "I am more than capable of completing this mission."

A look passed between them, and Erza just nodded. For some strange reason, Natsu couldn't help but be reminded of the teenage girl, Cana, and her father that he had passed in town earlier, though he wasn't sure who was the teen and who was the father.

So weird.

Miracle Mak's was in East Forest, on the other side of town. Natsu was surprised by how little fuss was made ran into as he hauled a life-size human block back through town. Still they managed to get through without being stopped.

"This is the place," he announced when they finally arrived. Natsu bent to slide the frozen Gray from his back.

"What's Mak doing all the way out here?" asked Lyon.

"He's a miracle worker. Of course, he's hiding out in the woods. He probably doesn't want to be bothered with trivial requests," reasoned Natsu. "He only wants things that are important enough for you to seek him out."

"Then why is he posting flyers?" asked Lyon.

"Hmm, good point," said Natsu, pausing to consider it. "No clue."

"Are you sure you have the right address?" asked Erza, eyeing the tree skeptically.

"Does a tree _have_ an address?" asked Lyon, pinching his eyes shut with a sigh. He leaned against the trunk, a hand up to his forehead.

"Sure, it does!" said Natsu. "Fourth tree past the Sparkling Pond. I'm assuming _that's_ the Sparkling Pond. Unless it was the other pond that we passed a little bit ago… They both kind of sparkled."

"Convincing," said Lyon.

"It's also the only tree here with windows and a door," Natsu pointed out.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Erza. She rapped her knuckles against the door.

There was a shuffling before the door creaked open. Natsu had to look down to see the occupant of the treehouse.

"Yes?" A wizen old man opened the door, his white hair standing in tufts around a balding crown. He was no larger than a child, and his hunched posture made him all the smaller.

He looked a lot like the 8-Island chef!

"Are you Miracle Mak?" asked Erza.

"Who wants to know?" asked the old man, scowling.

"Someone who found one of these flyers," said Erza.

"Oh! That's us!" he said, brightening. When he smiled, he reminded Natsu of everyone's favorite uncle or grandfather. "Come in, come in!" he said, beckoning for them to enter.

Erza led the way with Natsu bringing up the rear, rolling the lump of ice that contained Gray.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Erza whispered to Lyon, a hand on his shoulder. "You're a little warm."

"For the last time, Erza! I'm fine," he mouthed back. "Focus on the mission."

With all the whispering they were doing, Natsu had a feeling that he wasn't supposed to know about any of their little interactions, but his draconic hearing registered the words clearly. Wasn't his fault the others forgot about his special skills. Though it did make him feel a little left out. They were supposed to be a team, weren't they?

The inside of the tree was hollowed into a sort of sitting room with high ceilings. Beyond that, it looked like there were more rooms. Natsu wasn't sure how all of this fit into a tree, but he supposed that was why this was 'Miracle' Mak's.

"Porlyusica! Visitors!" Mak shouted.

"You're Mak?" asked Erza.

"Short for Makarov," he said. "Printers charge by the letter, so it was cheaper to have the flyers made for just Mak. Easier to spell, too."

"Do you know another old guy, about your height?" asked Natsu.

"Do you think all us old guys know each other?" asked Makarov.

"No, I'm asking everyone. I'm trying to find the chef for the restaurant called 8-Island."

"What? Yajima?" asked Makarov.

"See, you did know him! Where is he now?" asked Natsu eagerly.

"No idea," shrugged Makarov. "We were old school friends, back in the day, but we sort of lost touch, though. I heard he opened a restaurant. But I heard it's closed now."

Natsu's shoulders slumped in defeat. "You heard right," he said. "Aw, man! I thought this was a breakthrough."

"Sorry, sonny."

"That aside, we have a more important matter at hand. Mister Makarov, I think we need a miracle," said Erza.

"One miracle, coming up!" he said. "Porlyusica! Oh, Porlyusica!" he sang out.

"Who's this?" demanded a crotchety old woman, her face weighed down by age lines. She was tall and thin, with piercing eyes and a severe frown.

Natsu wondered if Erza would be anything like that when she got old. If that were the case, he and Lyon would have awesome times ahead when their trio reached their golden years.

"Porlyusica! These kids were looking for a miracle," said Makarov. "They're in need of your services."

"No," Porlyusica said.

"No?" echoed Natsu.

"But they're here to answer the ad that I had posted," said Makarov.

"Not my problem," she said. "I told you not to post those stupid things to begin with."

"But, Porlyusica! Don't be like that."

"Forget about it, Makie," she said. "I am retired. And that is that."

"Did we come on a bad day?" said Erza politely.

"This is actually a good day for her," Makarov confided. "I thought that if I posted those flyers, I'd get her some business, and she'd cheer up. But apparently not."

"I thought _you_ were the miracle worker?" said Natsu.

"The flyer does say that, doesn't it?" said Makarov. "Well, Porlyusica's the one who does all of the work. But since she didn't approve, I put my name on the flyers. Anyways, what can we do for you kids?" he asked.

"_We_? I thought she said that she wouldn't help," said Lyon. He eased himself to the floor with a wince, his knees hugged to his stomach.

"Oh, she'll help," said Makarov. "She just doesn't know it yet."

"We're just looking for a healer."

"That's actually her specialty. Did you hear that, Porlyusica? These kids are looking for a healer."

"Didn't hear a thing," she snorted.

"She heard. Forgive her," he said. "The old bat means well. She's not a bad person. _Just grumpy_," he added more loudly.

"I heard that!" Porlyusica screeched from the other room.

"You'd have to be deaf not to!" Makarov shouted back.

"I hate you! I hate you all!" she shouted. "You're just like the rest of them. No wonder Laxus threw you out of the castle!"

Makarov hissed, baring his teeth at her.

"Hit a nerve?" asked Porlyusica.

"Laxus?" asked Erza. "As in the Prince?"

"Yes. _That_ Laxus. Did you know that Makie used to live in the castle?" Porlyusica asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Really?" asked Natsu.

"That's right. I was the prince's favorite grandfather!" said Makarov. "Until the ungrateful brat decided to have me thrown out."

"Whoa? The prince is your grandson?" asked Natsu. "Wow, that makes you, like, like the grand king. No, the great, grand king."

"He's no king," muttered Porlyusica. "Just a washed-up old man."

"Wait," said Lyon. "If you're Prince Laxus' grandfather, then your wife must be—"

"My wife's been dead for twenty-seven years," said Makarov.

"You look good for being dead," said Natsu, hoping to get into Porlyusica's good graces.

"Me? Marry this old codger? I think not," snorted Porlyusica.

"Porlyusica and I are merely friends," said Makarov.

"I was the only one willing to take this sorry sack of bones in after he was fired," she informed them.

"Right. Friends," said Lyon, his eyes narrowing shrewdly.

"I could say the same about you," she retorted.

Lyon bristled, looking away.

"We don't have time for this. Please," said Erza. "The wedding's hours away. We need this miracle."

"Wedding? What wedding?" asked Makarov.

"Prince Laxus is about to marry a girl, but she's in love with our friend. So, we're going to storm the castle! We're going to crash the wedding! And we're going to rescue her!" said Natsu.

"I hate humans," she complained. "Foolish creatures. Always fighting."

"Aren't you human?" asked Natsu.

"Hardly," she snorted.

"You know, if you do this, you'll be able to get back at Laxus," said Erza reasonably. "This would effectively foil his evil plans."

"About time someone tried to stop him," muttered Makarov. Then he turned towards his companion with watery eyes. "Please…" he begged.

The old woman gave an exasperated sigh. "…Fine. Of all the things to waste a miracle on," she muttered.

"That's our friend, Gray. He was poisoned by a snake," Erza explained. "Before he ran out of magic, he froze himself in an attempt to preserve his own life."

"I don't do resurrections," said the woman.

"The flyer says you do," said Erza.

"I _don't_ do resurrections," she repeated.

"What if he's not actually dead?" said Erza.

"He's a solid block of ice. Ice has no pulse. No pulse equals dead," she said flatly.

"Well, I can fix that if I melt the ice," offered Lyon.

"Then you can do your own miracles," she snapped.

"What Lyon means is that Gray's only half-dead," said Erza. "If Lyon melts the ice and takes Gray out of stasis, can you heal him?"

"I can provide an antidote to the snake venom, but your friend will still need rest to recover," said Porlyusica. "And I can't do anything about his drained magic."

"That's not good enough," said Natsu.

"I'm already saving his life. What more do you want?"

Erza shot Natsu a warning glance. "Please. We'll need Gray's help storming the castle," added Erza. "Gray needs to stand on his own two feet to rescue his sweetheart."

"I can concoct a remedy that can help," said Porlyusica. "It'll give him the strength to fight, but only temporarily."

"We'll take whatever we can get," said Erza.

"Ahem. There is the small matter of payment," said Makarov.

"Payment?" said Erza.

"You didn't think we did this stuff for free, did you?" asked Porlyusica.

Natsu, Erza and Lyon dug through their pockets and combined their money into a heap on the table.

"Is that enough?" asked Natsu. "How many miracles do we get?"

"_Miracles_? You have enough for _one_ miracle," said Porlyusica. "Just barely."

"One is all we need. We'll be able to save Gray," said Lyon. "That was all we were looking for."

"It'd better be, after all that trouble," said Natsu.

"Agreed," said Erza.

With an annoyed huff of acceptance, Porlyusica turned to return to her workshop.

"Wait," interrupted Makarov. "I like you kids. And Porlyusica and I want to help out."

"No, we don't," she snapped.

"Yes, we do," insisted Makarov. "That's why we're happy to offer you two for the price of one."

"No, we _are not_."

"Yes, we are. A second miracle, of equal or lesser value, on the house."

"What other miracles can you do?" asked Natsu. "Just medical-healing stuff?"

"You're beyond help," said Porlyusica looking at Natsu. "I don't do brain transplants," she said.

"Hey!" yelped Natsu.

"Yes, that's all well and good. But what about _her_?" asked Lyon, pointing at Erza.

Before Erza could respond, Porlyusica had marched over and pulled up on her chin to glare at her. It was hilarious watching Erza squirm under the old woman's appraising gaze. Looked like their fearless leader was actually afraid for once.

"I could restore your sight," Porlyusica commented.

Natsu blinked, taking an involuntary step back. "Erza's not blind!" he said.

Except apparently, she was. How did he not know this?

Erza leaned forward. "You can do that?" she breathed, her eyes lifting hopefully.

"What kind of miracle worker do you think I am? Of course, I can do that."

"Then that's what we're doing," said Lyon without hesitation.

"That's almost funny coming from you." Porlyusica scowled as she looked Lyon up and down. "The one who's actually seriously injured."

"Me?" asked Lyon in surprise. "You must be mistaken."

"Injured?" asked Erza sharply, shooting him a glare.

"It was a rough landing. I may have hit my head harder than I thought," said Lyon wryly. "It's fine though."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Erza demanded.

"It was hardly worth mentioning," he said dismissively. "Just a bit of a headache."

"Yes, along with contusions of the heart and internal bleeding," snorted Porlyusica. "That concussion is the least of your problems. Forget about storming any castles. How long do you think you're going to last when you're bleeding out in your own gut, you fool?"

Erza fixed Lyon with a scathing look, like she wanted to rip him a new one. Natsu would have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious.

"Are you sure you can't do two?" asked Natsu. Ideally, Porlyusica would be able to help both of his friends.

"Unfortunately, not," said Makarov. "You'll have to choose one. What'll it be?"

"It's not really that bad, is it?" said Lyon, sounding like he didn't believe it himself.

"Arguably, anything behind your ribs is only bruised," she admitted.

"See? I told you," said Lyon.

"And the rest?" asked Erza.

"Is not worth worrying about," said Lyon. He uncurled slightly, his hand rising to palm at his chest again. "It's nothing that won't heal on its own."

"No," Erza said shaking her head. "We need to talk about this."

"What is there to talk about?" asked Lyon.

"You're injured."

"I'm fine. Certainly not so bad off as to require miraculous healing. Barely hurts anymore," insisted Lyon, the hand rubbing at his chest drifting lower to hover over his abdomen again.

"That's even _more_ worrying," said Erza, her eyes darting to his hand.

Lyon tucked his hand away hastily. "Look. There's no sense in wasting a miracle on something that will ultimately correct itself. But your eye won't heal itself."

"I lost my eye a long time ago," reasoned Erza, her voice flat and calm. "This isn't anything new for me."

"But it's always bothered you," Lyon reminded her. "When are you going to get a second chance at restoring your sight?"

"Yes, but…" Erza trailed off, her voice wistful. "No. _No_, I've learned to cope with just one. I mean, at first, I might have wanted to, but now—" Erza curled her hands into fists. Then she sighed. Natsu could tell how badly she wanted this for herself.

"Then do it now," said Lyon. "This is your chance."

"But what about you?" asked Erza, sounding almost gentle.

"I just need a couple of days and I'll be good as new. Erza, I know you need this. You should do it," Lyon added softly.

"No." Erza shook her head, her expression determined. "I need _you_. The wedding's hours away. Gray won't be fully recovered by that point. Who's going to watch my back?"

"You'll have Natsu," Lyon pointed out.

"That's not the same thing at all," said Erza.

Natsu agreed, though he couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed.

"Look, just because Gray and I won't be at our best doesn't mean that we're abandoning you. We'll still be there."

"Lyon…" Erza shook her head. "You're already injured."

"I told you. It's far from life-threatening."

"Yes, but it could be. If anything happens when we're out there…"

"My attacks are ranged. There's no need for me to join the melee. I can keep my distance and still support you. Or if it makes you feel better, I can sit out. I think it's unnecessary, but if you'd be more comfortable with the idea, I won't argue."

"This isn't about my being comfortable. It's about _you_."

"Let her heal your eye. That's more important than me."

Emotions played across Erza's face. "No," she said finally, her voice flat. "Heal Lyon."

She hid it well, but Natsu could tell just how hard it was for her to give up something of this magnitude.

So could Lyon.

"What? Are you insane?" snapped Lyon, surging to his feet. He winced at the movement, doubling over and hugging his arms around his middle.

"You're just proving my point. You need this more than I do."

Lyon scoffed, still hunched over. "You've got your priorities mixed up."

Erza looked away. "My priorities are fine. I'm making the strategic choice," she said, lifting her chin. "We need to increase our firepower. We need every man we can get," she insisted.

"That's nonsense, and you know it," said Lyon. "Erza… you're giving up the chance of a lifetime!"

"And I'd give it up all over again if it would save even one of my friends," said Erza. "If anything happens out there…" Erza's voice broke. She bent to be at eye-level with Lyon. "Today was difficult. First you, then Gray. Please. I can't lose anyone else. Don't make me go through that. Not again," she whispered.

"Erza…" Lyon blinked furiously before giving a curt nod. "I understand."

With that decided, Porlyusica got to work.

* * *

**If I'm being honest, Miracle Mak's/Max is a little bit of a deus ex machina in the original Princess Bride, especially after the mercenaries save the hero with no real fight or struggle. I guess, it _is_ supposed to be the Good Parts Version where we just cut to the chase and move along to the finale.  
**

**That said, I needed a ******deus ex machina to get all the members of the party to full fighting strength as we move into the final battle. But enough about that.  
****

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, Gray returns!: **_"You were taken prisoner by Prince Laxus and kept in the Tower of Heaven. He's marrying Lucy and we rescued you so we could crash their wedding and steal your girl back!"_ / _"Oh," said Gray, oddly calm. "So, a perfectly normal day, pretty much," he deadpanned. "And how are you planning to crash this wedding?"_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	27. The Revival

**It's Monday! This is a chapter that a lot of people have been waiting for, so let's cut to the chase.  
**

**Natsu's still got PoV for now.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

When Porlyusica was finished, Lyon emerged from the backroom, looking like his normal, smug self.

Porlyusica held up a flask of blue liquid. "This is the antivenom for your other friend. You've got to get your him to take it as soon as he's out of the ice," she said. "He'll be out of danger, at that point, but he'll still be very weak, after all that he's been through. So that's what these are for." Then she tossed a vial containing what looked like a small handful of beads to Natsu. "Those will give him enough strength to function normally, at least for a short time. There's enough here for about forty minutes. Use them wisely."

"We will," promised Erza.

"Now, get out," Porlyusica snarled.

"You kids have fun now!" called Makarov, waving cheerily.

"Pleasant woman," said Lyon sarcastically.

"All right!" said Natsu, pumping his fist in the air. "Let's get Gray back!"

"Wait," said Lyon. "Didn't you hear? He's only got forty minutes. We're better off waiting until we're outside of the castle gates to use it."

"What if it doesn't work?" said Natsu. "If we try it here, we can torch Mak's tree house, or at least demand a refund."

"We can't think like that," said Erza. "We have to believe it's going to work. Are _you_ feeling all right?" she asked Lyon.

"Never better," said Lyon. "It's almost enough to make one believe in miracles."

"We'll have to take it on good faith that she did as well with the remedy for Gray," reasoned Erza.

"Are you really all healed?" asked Natsu suspiciously. "Great! You can carry the ice cube this time!"

"Natsu!" scolded Erza.

"What?" said Natsu. "He doesn't have an excuse this time."

"Look, I'll do it," said Erza. "I'll get Gray. You can keep an eye on Lyon."

"I'm fine on my own," insisted Lyon. "Get off!" he snapped as Natsu clapped an arm around his shoulders.

Natsu snorted, annoyed by Lyon's dismissal.

"Nah, I'll get the Ice Block," said Natsu.

He had been surprised that Erza asked for him to help. He had thought that she didn't appreciate him.

_Who's going to watch my back?_

Natsu wasn't one to dwell, but Erza's careless words at Miracle Mak's had stung.

Still, maybe it wasn't what he was assuming. Clearly, Erza still valued him. Though it seemed that lately, she seemed to value Lyon more.

They'd always had a certain understanding, with their shared revenge quests and similar temperaments. But Natsu felt like Erza and Lyon had gotten to rely on each other more. This unspoken partnership had been clearer than ever after they left the Tower of Heaven.

There was a small part of him that wished he had something similar. If only he had a life-long companion of some sort. He really needed to get himself a cat.

Natsu could hear the easy conversation that flowed between his teammates. It wasn't anything special, mostly a boring debate of tactics for raiding Laxus' castle. But it was different somehow.

While Natsu didn't resent his friends' new-found closeness, it made him feel a little bit like an outsider. They had always been a trio, but now they were a duo and the other guy… and he was the other guy. He was tired of being the odd man out.

He couldn't help but get the sneaking suspicion that their team was starting to grow apart. To Natsu, the very idea was unthinkable, almost as sad as the closure of 8-Island.

Natsu was glad when the team finally got to the castle gates.

"How much longer until the wedding?" asked Erza.

"Not long," said Lyon. "Maybe about half an hour."

"What are we waiting for?" asked Natsu. "Let's get going! Time to bust Gray outta there."

"We've only got forty minutes—" said Lyon.

"We can hold off on using those, can't we?" said Erza. "Let's get him out of the ice first."

"All right," said Lyon.

"Why don't you do it, Natsu," said Erza, handing over the potion.

"Me? Really?" asked Natsu.

"But the moment I thaw him—the _very moment_—he needs that antivenom," Lyon reminded him.

"Got it," said Natsu.

Bending, Lyon pressed a hand to the smooth surface encasing Gray. Channeling his magic, he slowly dissolved the ice.

As soon as Gray's head was freed, Natsu ducked under Lyon's arm. He unstopped the vial and pressed it to Gray's lips, pouring the antivenom into his mouth.

"C'mon…" mumbled Natsu.

Nothing.

"How do we know if it's working?" asked Natsu.

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Lyon, rocking back to sit on his heels after he had done his part.

"Well, maybe if _you_ drop dead, we'll know it _isn't_ working and that the entire thing was a sham," mused Natsu. "But short of that…"

"Well, unfortunately for you, I don't feel like doing that," said Lyon.

A shudder ran through Gray's body. He gave a horrible, rasping gasp.

"I think it's working!" said Erza.

Then Gray moaned. It sounded like he was trying to speak, his words slurring incoherently.

"Gray? Are you with us?" asked Erza.

"Lucy?" croaked Gray.

"Unfortunately, no," said Lyon.

Gray blinked up at them blearily. "Who are you?" he mumbled. "Where am I? Why can't I feel my legs?"

"You need to chill out," said Natsu. "You've been half-dead all day, man."

"Chill out? You chill ou— OW!" yelped Gray.

"Look at that! You _can_ feel your legs," said Natsu cheerfully, his fists still on fire.

Gray glared daggers at him. "What's going on here? Where's Lucy?" he demanded.

"Look, there's no time to explain," said Erza.

But Natsu explained anyways. "You were taken prisoner by Prince Laxus and kept in the Tower of Heaven. He's marrying Lucy and we rescued you so we could crash their wedding and steal your girl back!"

"Oh," said Gray, oddly calm. "So, a perfectly normal day, pretty much," he deadpanned. "And how are you planning to crash this wedding?"

"We were counting on you for that," said Lyon.

"Great," said Gray. "I'm supposed to just make something up? I don't have anything to work with. It could take months to come up with a plan!"

"You've got minutes," said Erza.

"Speaking of," said Natsu. He rattled the vial of pills in his hand. "Probably time to take one of these babies."

"What's that?" asked Gray.

"Miracle Mak's not-wife said they're supposed to help give you the strength to get you through this mission so you're not flat on your back the whole time."

"I don't see what I've got to lose," said Gray, nodding at Natsu to feed him one.

Gray's eyes went wide as soon as the medicine touched his tongue. He clambered to his feet. "Wow… That's almost scary. I haven't felt this good in a while," he said. "All right, maybe we can do this."

"So, what's the plan?" asked Erza. "And keep in mind that after we get into the castle, I've got other business."

"Right," said Gray, pacing. "What do we have to work with?"

"Erza's brute strength and Natsu's firepower," supplied Lyon.

"That's it? That'll come in real handy if we're trying to destroy something," muttered Gray. "How many are we dealing with? Just the four horsemen down there?" Gray pointed at the Pegasus Mounted Guard that was stationed near the castle gates.

"We have to assume more than that," said Erza.

"If only I had a wheelbarrow," said Gray.

"Why don't you make one yourself?" asked Natsu.

"I would, if I had any magic left. I was running on fumes before, and I spent what little I had left using Iced Eternity on myself."

"I can probably make us one. That shouldn't be too much trouble," said Lyon.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" said Gray.

"I would have, if you had asked. You fought me; you should know what I'm capable of. And another thing—"

Gray stopped in his tracks, his expression dazed.

"What's the matter?" demanded Erza.

"This feels weird…" said Gray, shutting his eyes. Without warning, he slumped forward like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Gray!"

"Are you okay?"

Natsu and Erza rushed over, rolling Gray onto his back.

"Really tired… Wow. Are those things supposed to wear off?" Gray asked weakly.

"Apparently this bottle's good for forty minutes," said Natsu.

"How many pills are there?" asked Gray.

"I don't know. Let me see," said Natsu, turning the vial over in his hand to count.

"Say about a dozen," said Lyon.

"Twelve pills, forty minutes. That's three or four minutes a piece. Sounds about right," said Gray.

"Want another one?" asked Natsu.

"Not yet," said Gray. "I can't afford to waste them. Let's work out the rest of the plan. Does anyone have a sword I can borrow?"

"What for?" asked Natsu. "You can't even lift one."

"Nobody else knows that," said Gray.

Erza requipped a plain sword, laying it beside Gray. "Will this do?"

"That's fine. And where's that wheelbarrow?"

"Right here," said Lyon. He indicated an icy pushcart.

"Okay," said Gray, lolling his head to the side to look at everyone. "Here's what we do."

* * *

Lucy looked into the mirror. The day was finally here. Except it wasn't just a dream this time, as it had been before. No, the day was finally here.

Today was her wedding day.

After the attendants slipped her into her dress and plaited her hair, Lucy stepped out into the hallway.

"You don't appear to be excited, princess," said Laxus' attendant, Freed. He had come to escort her to the ceremony.

"Why should I be?" asked Lucy, examining the backs of her nails.

"Most women would be happy about getting married."

Lucy just smiled.

She wouldn't be marrying Laxus. Not tonight.

Gray would come for her.

* * *

**Gray and Lucy? Back front and center. Team Mercenary? Ready to roll. Laxus and his henchmen's days are numbered!**

**All right! We're into the home stretch you guys! Just six more chapters.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, the ol' wheelbarrow trick: **_"Who goes there?" shouted one of the guardsmen. / "I am the Dread Pirate Silver..."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	28. At the Castle Gates

**We're getting into one of my favorite parts of the story. To me, The Princess Bride is defined by the hero's first three fights with the mercenaries and the final set of fights in the castle.**

****It's Monday, and it's Castle Stormin' Day.  
****

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lucy walked down the aisle slowly to take her place next to the prince.

Every step she took was one step closer to Gray's rescue. Maybe she didn't know that for sure, but she had to believe in him.

Gray would come. No matter what happened, no matter what the obstacles, Gray would overcome them. He would find her. He always did.

Freed, now at the front of the chapel, was presiding over the ceremony.

"Lords and Ladies, people of Fiore, we are gathered here today to join his Highness Prince Laxus and Lucy of Magnolia in matrimony," said Freed.

The audience clapped politely.

Freed droned on and on, toasting Lucy and praising Laxus. But Lucy didn't mind. Gray needed time to find her, after all.

"…and so, these two souls, through their love, their everlasting love, will be united for all eternity…"

He would come. Lucy tried to be patient.

"…on the journey of life, our beloved prince and his beautiful bride…"

A commotion broke out in the courtyard.

Lucy's heart soared. "It's Gray!" she cried.

* * *

The bells rang out, signaling the start of the wedding ceremony.

"It's time," said Gray.

"Open up," said Natsu, pouring half of the remaining pills into Gray's mouth.

Gray shot up, the medicine giving him a renewed burst of strength. "What did you do that for?" he demanded.

"You needed to be on your feet to storm the castle, didn't ya?" said Natsu.

"And what if I need some for later?" Gray asked.

"Fine, _you_ ration them," he snapped as he tossed the rest of the bottle at Gray. "Here. Now come on, we're wasting time."

Natsu climbed onto the wheelbarrow, holding his arms out for balance.

"Ready?" asked Erza, lifting the wheelbarrow by the handles.

Natsu gave a thumbs up.

"I'm flying!" said Natsu. "I'm king of the world!"

"Be serious," said Lyon, glaring.

"It was just a joke," said Natsu. "Yeesh!"

Carefully, Erza wheeled Natsu to the castle gates.

"Want me to break it down?" offered Natsu.

"Can't we exercise a little more tact?" sighed Lyon.

"Leave it to me," said Erza.

"What are you gonna do?" asked Gray.

"Help! Somebody help, please!" shrieked Erza, clasping her hands to her face. "I—no, no, don't come any closer!" Erza let out a girlish scream. "Good, yes?" she asked quietly. "I was born for the stage!"

"Reasonably convincing, I suppose," said Lyon, not sounding particularly moved by her performance.

Apparently, the castle guards felt the same way.

"_Really_?" said Gray. "Nobody."

"Nobody has any appreciation for theater," huffed Erza.

"Just break it down, Flame Brain," said Gray.

"With pleasure!" said Natsu. He hopped off the wheelbarrow, barreling into the gate to the castle courtyard and taking it off by the hinges. Then, he climbed back into his position in the bucket of the wheelbarrow

"Wait," said Lyon.

"Now what?" asked Natsu.

Lyon frosted over the ground, filling the courtyard with icy mist.

"Just giving you some atmosphere," said Lyon.

Gray gave him a nod of approval. "Now, let's go."

One of the soldiers at the gate reined his horse. "Is it just me or did it just get cold?" he asked

"And what's with this creepy mist?" asked another. "Not that I'm afraid of it or anything," he added.

Erza pushed Natsu towards the castle gate. Lyon and Gray trailed behind.

"Who goes there?" shouted one of the guardsmen.

"I am the Dread Pirate Silver," howled Natsu.

"Now?" asked Erza.

"Wait," said Gray.

"The Dread Pirate Silver takes no prisoners…" hissed Natsu.

"Now?" Erza asked again.

"Not yet, Erza," said Gray.

"I am here…" moaned Natsu.

"Wait for it…" said Gray.

"I am here for your _souls_!" Natsu flapped his arms menacingly.

"Now!" said Gray.

Natsu ignited. Flames burst from the dragon slayer's arms and legs and out of his head. The eerie glow cut through the mist, illuminating Natsu as if he were emerging from an otherworldly portal.

One of the guardsmen shrieked.

"The Dread Pirate Silver takes no prisoners!" shouted Natsu in a sinister voice. He cackled, sounding like an overdramatic villain.

"Do you feel like he's having way too much fun with this?" asked Gray.

"Welcome to my world," said Lyon.

"Let my fire—I mean my ice!—Let my ice hands touch you with the cold breath of death!" Natsu cackled again.

On his cue, Lyon created a formation of ice eagles, swarming the soldiers with them.

* * *

Lucy could hear the screams from the Pegasus Mounted Guard as the fighting continued outside.

"Hurry it up, will ya?" said Laxus, waving at Freed.

"And now, the rings," said Freed.

A crash outside made the wedding guests wince. They looked towards the door curiously.

"There's Gray now," said Lucy, turning up her nose.

"Impossible," hissed Laxus. "I killed him."

"No…" said Lucy. "You're lying, just like you always are."

"Am I?" asked Laxus, his eyes narrowing.

Another crash.

Laxus growled. "Just skip to the man and wife part," he said to Freed.

"Do you, Lucy of Magnolia, daughter of—"

"Man and wife!" insisted Laxus. "Just say man and wife!"

"Man and wife," Freed repeated dutifully.

"_What_?" said Lucy.

What just happened?

"Finally!" said Laxus. "We're done here. Freed, escort my wife back to my chambers. _Our_ chambers," he corrected himself.

"Wait. No! I didn't—" Lucy was dazed, as a cold dread crept up her back and prickled down her arms and legs.

Where was Gray? Why didn't he save her? She was Laxus' _wife_?!

She was supposed to marry Gray!

Lucy's breath caught in her chest. It felt like a vise had clamped down hard.

"He didn't come for me…" said Lucy, her voice barely a whisper.

But that wasn't possible. Gray always came…

Unless… Laxus had been telling the truth, hadn't he?

Gray was dead.

And now she was trapped in a marriage with a scheming murderer, the prince of Fiore.

* * *

As the icy birds swarmed, the Pegasus Mounted Guard scattered.

"Stand your ground, men!" huffed their captain. "Stand your—ack!" The little man ducked to avoid being hit by the swooping fowl.

But the rest of the troop had dispersed.

"Men! Get back here, you cowards! We fight to the end! We die like men!" shouted the captain.

Lyon pounced on the captain just as Natsu reached the gate.

"Open this door!" Lyon demanded. He yanked the man roughly off his horse, holding him by the shoulders.

"Never!" declared the captain.

Lyon slammed the man against the door. "I said open it!"

Erza requipped her battle axe, roaring as she raised it above her head.

The captain shrieked. He squirmed out of Lyon's grasp.

"Get back here, you little troll!"

But the captain paid him no mind. Instead he hastily fumbled the door open and scrambled through.

"I think they're more terrified of you than of Natsu," said Lyon.

"Hm! Is that a compliment or an insult?" said Erza.

"Both."

Gray pushed past impatiently. "Come on, you guys. Which way?"

"Follow me," said Natsu.

"How does he know which way to go?" asked Gray.

"He's like a bloodhound," said Lyon. "One that's not house trained," he added.

Natsu led them to the chapel, throwing the doors wide open.

"Lucy?" shouted Gray, sprinting into the chapel. "Lucy!"

Lucy was nowhere to be found. The wedding guests were leaving, seemingly unaware of the chaos outside.

"We're too late!" said Erza.

Gray took off down the hall.

"Hey, wait up!" shouted Natsu.

"The ceremony literally just ended," said Gray. "She can't be too far."

As he darted through the halls, he saw the prince's major domo.

"Freed," hissed Gray. Gray slammed the man against the wall. "Where are they?" he barked.

"It's you…" said Freed, the color draining from his face. "The mage in black!"

"Where are they?" repeated Gray.

Freed's eyes were wide and panicked. "I thought you were dead…"

"Where's. Lucy."

Freed gulped, pointing a lanky arm down the hall. "In the prince's quarters!" he squeaked.

Gray slammed his fist into Freed's face, knocking him out cold.

* * *

**Natsu shouting in the wheelbarrow? Could you tell I was inspired by that episode where he impersonates Erza and gets kind of into it. (Erza's not an unholy demon, but there are plenty of occasions where Natsu acts like she's one.)  
**

**And I never pass up an opportunity to poke fun of Erza's lack of acting skills.**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, in the castle, the team goes their separate ways. Erza sees a familiar face: **_"I was a mere child when we last met," she hissed. "I wasn't strong enough then. I could do nothing to protect the boy I loved. But no longer."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	29. Journey's End

**It's Monday! We've got a nice long chapter for y'all today as the different plot-lines collide. Erza is our first narrator. Enjoy!  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Gray swayed dangerously as he dropped the prince's steward, leaving the other man collapsed in a heap.

"Gray?" asked Erza.

Gray swore under his breath. He fumbled for the vial of pills that Natsu had handed him, dumping a few into his mouth. Then he swallowed another handful for good measure. Erza couldn't tell if he had any pills left at all.

"I'm good now," he said breathed. "I'm good." Gray wavered as he staggered down the hall. Porlyusica's medicine was wearing off too quickly.

"Wait, where—" Erza started.

Gray didn't wait for her to finish. Each movement was crisp and efficient. He couldn't afford to waste his borrowed strength. "I gotta find Lucy," he said. "I'm running out of time."

"Natsu! What are you waiting for?" asked Erza. "Help him."

"All right, all right," said Natsu. "I'm coming, Ice Block."

"Do you think it's wise to leave them to their own devices?" asked Lyon.

"Perhaps not," said Erza. "Maybe you should go with them."

"And who's going to watch your back?" he asked.

"My quest is my own. You'd accompany me?" asked Erza. After the specters that had haunted her in the tower, Erza was reluctant to involve the others in her personal matters. They had only been illusions, but Erza was determined to keep their complaints from becoming valid.

"I thought you had designated that as my role," said Lyon. "You had me healed so that I could support you. I'll hold up my end of the bargain."

"Bargain?" said Erza. "It wasn't meant to be a—" Erza broke off as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Was that…? "Jellal," she snarled.

"Erza, wait!" shouted Lyon.

But Erza _couldn't_ wait. Jellal was _here._ So she gave chase, following the black of his cloak through twisted corridors, down the hall, and through the courtyard.

Never would she have thought that accepting Freed's request to kidnap Fiore's princess would lead her to the man who murdered her fiancé. Fate worked in strange ways.

A heavy, wooden door slammed as Jellal disappeared behind it. Erza skidded to a halt, barely avoiding crashing against it herself. She tried the knob, finding it frozen in place.

Locked.

But she had to get through. Jellal was just on the other side! Erza leapt forth, ramming the door hard with her shoulder.

It was no good. She wouldn't be able to do this by herself.

But she knew someone who could.

"Natsu!" bellowed Erza. "Natsu! NATSU!"

Natsu sprinted over, with Lyon right behind him.

"Natsu, I need your destructive powers!" declared Erza, still pounding on the door. "Quick, before he gets away!" Erza threw herself into the door again.

"Just give it a good ram," said Natsu. "It'll give. Besides, I thought you wanted me to help the ice-block."

"I'll do it," said Lyon. "Go help Gray."

"You sure?" asked Natsu. "Like, have you actually decided? Or are you going to change your mind and call me back here again?"

"Just go!" snapped Lyon. "Unbelievable…" he sighed.

"Incontrivable!" Natsu sang out before he dashed off.

"Help me open this door," she grunted, every word punctuated by a battering of the door. How strong was this thing?

"Immovable object, meet unstoppable force," remarked Lyon absently, studying the door's construction.

"Hurry up!" said Erza.

"I think we're better off taking it off by the hinges," said Lyon.

"How—"

"Have a little patience, will you?" snapped Lyon. He formed a tendril of squirming ice that he snaked under the door. With a bit of maneuvering, he managed to get into the right position. "There, I've got it. And that should be…" Lyon trailed off, his eyes widening. He whirled around to stare down the hall.

Erza only caught a glimpse of the dark-haired figure that had disappeared from sight, but judging by Lyon's reaction, she had a strong suspicion that she could guess who it was.

Lyon's face had gone sheet-white. "That's…" He gaped, reaching out for empty air.

"Go after her," said Erza quietly.

"Wha—? But—" Lyon blinked at her, looking confused.

"That was Ultear, wasn't it? Your one true love," said Erza.

"Yes, but—" There was a yearning in his eyes as Lyon struggled between his duty to his team and his life-long quest.

"Then go after her."

"But what about you? You finally found the man with the seal over his eye," said Lyon. "You've waited years for your revenge."

"Revenge is for the dead. Your business is with the living," said Erza. "Go after her. I'll handle Jellal."

Lyon nodded, the hesitation on his face resolving into an expression of determination. "Thank you!" he whispered. He needed no further prompting as he tore down the hall.

She was alone now. But that was no excuse. Simon's murderer was just beyond this door! But without Natsu or Lyon, how would she get past? She'd just have to force her way in.

With a roar, Erza threw herself against the wooden barrier. Her iron will splintered the wood as she tore through it.

Of course, the fact that Lyon had dismantled the hinges had probably helped as well.

Driven by her momentum, Erza careened into the room, skidding to a stop. She found herself face to face with her late fiancé's murderer.

"Jellal."

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Do you not remember me?" she hissed.

Though the years had passed, he hadn't aged at all. No, he looked exactly the way he did that day. The day he took Simon from her.

"I was a mere child when we last met," she hissed. "I wasn't strong enough then. I could do nothing to protect the boy I loved. But no longer."

"Who are you again?" he asked.

Erza drew her sword, saluting the man, even though he didn't deserve such respect. "My name is Erza Scarlet. You killed my lover," she accused. "Prepare to die."

"Doesn't ring any bells."

Erza pointed the tip of her sword, at Jellal's chest, positioned right above his heart. "My name is _Erza Scarlet_. You killed my lover. Prepare to die."

Jellal studied her before shrugging.

Furiously, Erza covered her glass eye with one hand, just as she had clutched at her injured eye after Jellal had hurt her all those years ago. She glared back at him.

Understanding bloomed across her opponent's features. "You're the spunky red-head. The one dating the constable." Nodding, Jellal drew a sword of his own.

Erza charged him, bring her sword down in a wide arc. "Simon found out about your schemes. He was about to expose you," she said.

"Expose me?" asked Jellal, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes," said Erza. "He told me all about you. How he'd infiltrated your organization. How he'd gained your trust. How he was about to expose your crimes." Each sentence was punctuated with a swing that pushed Jellal back across the room.

With his back against the wall, Jellal chuckled, softly at first. Then he threw back his head and laughed.

"What's so funny?" demanded Erza. She pressed the tip of her sword into the dip above his collarbone, though not hard enough to draw blood.

"Simon _worked_ for me," said Jellal.

"What?" asked Erza, her sword arm faltering.

Jellal swiped her arm out of the way with his own blade, his sword leaving a searing slash across the flesh of her shoulder.

"Did he not tell you?" asked Jellal, his attacks putting Erza on the retreat. "Simon was one of my best agents."

That wasn't possible…

"No…" Erza stumbled backwards clumsily, as Jellal advanced. She was aware that she was losing ground, but too distraught to stop it.

Simon couldn't have been working for Jellal. Unless he was a double agent.

"Looks like he gained _your _trust, infiltrated _your_ life," said Jellal, emphasizing each accusation with slash. But Erza barely felt the sting of his blade.

Erza roared, fighting back against both Jellal's sword and his lies.

It couldn't be. Simon wasn't like that. He wouldn't have been working for Jellal…

Erza wanted to remember Simon as a hero. She didn't want his memory tarnished by suspicion.

Jellal's blade clipped her over the eyebrow. Swiping at the bleeding cut with the back of her hand, Erza ducked away, retreating to the other side of the room, trying to regain the upper hand through distance.

"Running away?" asked Jellal. "You were a scared little girl, then. That's all you are now. That's all you'll _ever_ be."

"No," vowed Erza. "Never again."

She missed the flash of movement, turning too late to see. A sharp pain ripped through her abdomen on her blind _right_ side. Erza looked down to find a small dagger embedded just below her ribs.

* * *

If Lyon believed in ghosts, he would have thought he had seen one.

He had seen the apparition out of the corner of his eye, and at first, he had thought he was dreaming. Like a man in a trance, he followed her, afraid of what he would find, but even more terrified that she would disappear again.

And now, Lyon was face-to-face with a woman he hadn't seen in years.

"_Ultear_," he said. His ears were filled with the sound of his own pulse. "It really is you!"

"Lyon…"

"I knew it," he whispered. "I knew you were still alive."

Taking a tentative step forward, he opened his arms to her. He pulled her close, his face pressed into the top of her head. She smelled like the lilac perfume that she always wore. It was like nothing had ever changed. Like they had never been separated.

"Oh, Lyon, how did you ever find me?" asked Ultear. She melted against him, her slight frame fitting into his arms as if she belonged there.

"Because I never stopped looking. Because I love you. Because true love can never be kept apart," said Lyon.

"I almost gave up hope," said Ultear. "With that horrible Prince Laxus…" Ultear shuddered.

"I'm here now," said Lyon. "I only wish that I had gotten here sooner."

He pulled back slightly, his hands drifting to her shoulders so he could look at her. He wanted to take in the face of the beloved that he had pinned after for so long.

She was every bit as beautiful as he remembered. Lashes like a butterfly's wing. Velvety dark hair and expressive eyes. Features as smooth as chiseled marble. Her cheek looked a bit swollen, though, like a bruise that was about to form, or that had recently healed. It looked painful and a little tender.

Lyon frowned. Had somebody hurt her? Outrage stirred within him. How dare they! He'd hunt down anyone who had the gall to raise a hand to her.

"What's the matter?" asked Ultear.

"Ultear… what happened to your face…?" he asked gently. He reached out to cool it with some ice, but Ultear jerked back, her eyes widening in alarm.

"What? This… this isn't anything," she said, backing away from him. Ultear's expression morphed slightly, just enough for Lyon to see the emotion lingering beneath the surface. It wasn't fear. It was a flash of panic. Guilt.

Concern melted into alarm and a chill dripped down Lyon's spine. Her movements were all too familiar as she cupped her hand to her cheek, hiding it from view. It reminded him of like somebody else he had seen recently.

Lyon pulled away, a heavy feeling in his stomach. "That was _your_ perfume that Natsu was smelling. Lilacs…"

How had he missed that? He was an idiot!

"What are you talking about, Lyon? Don't be silly," laughed Ultear. She smiled coyly, her perfect mask in place again as she stepped back towards him.

"You're the little rat man with the mask from earlier," accused Lyon.

He didn't want to believe it, but it all added up. The lilac perfume. Her presence at the castle.

Lyon shook his head, his hands ready to cast. "I should have known. Lilacs. I should have known," he repeated.

"Lyon, you're not making any sense," she said, shaking her head. "Is everything okay?"

"Don't lie to me, _Zalty_," he hissed. "You're one of them. You're part of this. I'm an idiot for not having seen it sooner."

Ultear blinked, her façade falling away. "Your dragon slayer hits hard," she complained, her face twisting into a mask of cruelty. "After my little encounter with your Natsu, I thought I'd been caught."

"But why?" he croaked. "Why are you doing this?"

Her lips twitching into a smirk. "I've been helping Master Jellal from the start," said Ultear, sounding almost proud.

"Jellal Fernandes? The renowned criminal mastermind?"

"_Master_ Jellal. Only the greatest criminal mastermind the world has ever known," said Ultear reverently.

"You're insane…"

"He was the master, and I became his apprentice. For a while, at least. He was looking for someone new after his last subordinate failed him so miserably. As I exceeded his wildest expectations, he made me his new partner."

"His partner?" said Lyon, his brows drawing skeptically.

"In crime," said Ultear, smiling primly. "And in love," she added.

Her words were like bludgeon to the skull. It took Lyon a moment to register the idea, and still he could hardly believe them. "So you betrayed me," he whispered. Somehow knowing that she had left him for another man was even worse than knowing that she was working with the prince.

"About time you figured that out," said Ultear. "Although betrayal is a harsh word for it."

"Didn't our relationship mean anything to you?" choked Lyon. "All the time we spent together? I thought we—"

"Relationship?" Ultear scoffed. "What? Oh, that? That wasn't anything."

"I can't believe you," he said. "For all these years… Ultear, I loved you."

"You were always so gullible," she said, her tone dipping in false sympathy. "Did you really think you were the only one?"

"But… why, Ultear?"

"I had a choice to make that day."

"That day…" echoed Lyon, his mind rocketing him back to a ransacked house that smelled of death. "What happened that day?"

Ultear returned his gaze levelly. "It's nothing personal. Jellal was able to give me something that you couldn't. Such is the way of the world, of course."

"And… your mother…"

"Oh, that wasn't personal either. She just was in the way," said Ultear with a slight shrug.

* * *

**Would you like a cliffhanger? We've got a couple going on, so there's plenty to go around. XD.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, a lovers' reunion and a desperate last stand (can we call it that if Gray can no longer stand?): **_"What took you so long?" she asked reproachfully. "I thought something terrible had happened to you! Actually, you do look pretty awful," she said. "Are you okay? Please say you're all right."_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	30. Just Like Romeo and Juliet (Or Not)

**It's Monday! We're coming down to the wire here, you guys! Just a handful of chapters left.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Gray's pulse thumped in his ears as he dashed towards the royal honeymoon suite.

He was typically in much better shape, but the exertion was starting to take its toll. Only thoughts of Lucy kept him on his feet. Nothing would stop him from reaching her.

Gray reached for the vial, realizing that he only had one of the miraculous pills left.

He clenched his fist, pocketing the vial again. He couldn't use it. He had to save it, just in case.

The honeymoon suite was empty when he arrived. At least, it appeared that way.

Where was Lucy? Why wasn't she here?

Gray staggered into the room, collapsing on the giant four-poster. Normally it would have bothered him that this was the prince's chambers. The prince's bed, even! But Gray was feeling too awful to care. He needed to lie down.

Gray tried to use the short respite to catch his breath and plan his next move. But first, he needed to figure out where Lucy was.

Could he have arrived at the Prince's room first? That was impossible. With Lucy's head start and him having gotten lost twice, there was no way that he'd have beaten her there.

A tearful Lucy came out of one of the adjoining rooms, a glass in her hand. It was filled with a bubbling dark-colored liquid. She eyed it reluctantly.

Gray wasn't sure what it was, but with the bubbling, he suspected that it was poison. The question was… was it for her or for Laxus?

"I remember this one," interrupted Gray. "Romeo and Juliet didn't make it out."

"G-Gray!?" gasped Lucy, her eyes widening in her puffy, tear-stained face. The glass in her hand crashing to the floor. The contents bubbled, eating away at the rug.

"I don't even want know what you had in that glass," said Gray.

"Oh, Gray!" she said, her expression crumpling. "I thought…" She broke off, shaking her head. With a shuddering sigh, she leapt for him. She peppered his face with kisses, her eyes welling with tears. "Gray. Gray! You came!"

"Of course, I—Ow! Slow down, Lucy."

"Sorry," she said, getting off of him and scrubbing at her damp cheeks. "I… I'm just so… overwhelmed," she said, covering her nose and mouth with both hands. "I can't believe you're actually came!"

"Of course, I came. I told you I would, didn't I?" said Gray.

"What took you so long?" she asked reproachfully. "I thought something terrible had happened to you! Actually, you do look pretty awful," she said. "Are you okay? Please say you're all right."

"I'm fine. Mostly," amended Gray. "I've kinda been half-dead for most of the day."

"Half-dead?" she repeated.

"It's a long story," he said. "But forget that. Let's get out of here. You and me, happily ever after."

"But Gray, there's something I have to tell you…" said Lucy.

"Can it wait?" asked Gray. "We have to get out of here. We don't have much time."

"But I've done something horrible."

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"I… I got married," admitted Lucy in a small voice.

"What?" asked Gray frowning.

Lucy shook her head, looking ready to cry again. "I married Laxus. Not that I wanted to."

"How did _that_ happen?"

"I don't know. It all happened so fast," said Lucy, hanging her head. "One minute we were standing there, and the next minute Freed was pronouncing us man and wife!"

"Did you say, 'I do'?" asked Gray.

"…no," said Lucy. "Freed wouldn't stop rambling so Laxus had him skip right to the end."

"You _sure_ you didn't say it?" asked Gray.

"Gray, I'm pretty sure I would have remembered if I had," said Lucy.

"Well, that's good then. If you didn't say it, then it didn't happen," said Gray.

"Are you sure?" asked Lucy, her forehead scrunching in confusion. "Freed said 'Man and wife.'"

"Have you ever been able to trust anything Laxus and his lackeys have done?" Gray pointed out.

"Well, no," said Lucy.

"There you have it," said Gray. "Isn't that right, Laxus?"

Gray had heard the shuffling in the hall, and it didn't take a genius to guess who was waiting for them.

"Laxus," gasped Lucy.

Prince Laxus stalked into the room, an unpleasant look in his eye. "And _there's_ my beautiful bride. And you. I thought I had you killed."

"Apparently not," said Gray.

Lucy gasped. "I _knew_ it. You _did_ try to kill him."

"Doesn't matter," said Laxus. "I'll finish you both now."

Gray laughed. "You sure about that?"

Gray wasn't sure why he was bluffing. He was out of options, and he knew it… There was no way he could beat Laxus in a fair fight, even on a good day. With as weak as he was now, he was toast.

But if he stalled, maybe he could buy enough time for one of the others to come to their aid. Natsu. Erza. Lyon. They couldn't have been too far behind, could they?

"What are you babbling about?" asked Laxus, sounding bored.

"You've lost the battle already," said Gray, sounding more confident than he felt. "I mean, you saw the way your Horse Guards scattered when we stormed in, right?"

Laxus gave a dismissive wave of the hand. "Ichiya's squad was always a little flaky," said Laxus.

"It's not just him. Your dungeon master's been defeated, too," said Gray, lying smoothly. "Erza took care of him."

"I doubt that," said Laxus, though he was starting to look a little unsure.

"If you say so," said Gray. "Just so you know, that girl Erza's a complete psycho. If she's got a vendetta, there's no escape," said Gray. "Who do you think took out all of your tower guards? The shapeshifter that turns into a boa constrictor. Not to mention the gothic looking one," listed Gray, recalling the opponents that he had seen on the way out of the tower. In all fairness, he hadn't seen Erza face the goth, but the corpse was right outside of the room he was being held in. It wasn't hard to put two and two together.

"Impossible," laughed Laxus, though his laugh was starting to sound a little hollow. "Besides, even if that were true, I still have Freed."

Laxus must not have known that Gray had knocked his sidekick out. One more bluff to their advantage.

"Okay, fine," lied Gray. "Maybe we didn't defeat _all_ of them. Freed actually joined us."

"That's a lie!" growled Laxus.

Gray shook his head. "How do you think we got into the castle in the first place?" said Gray. "What? Do you think we just stormed on in, yelling like a bunch of maniacs? And somehow, somebody was dumb enough to let us in? Really? Come on."

Laxus was starting to look agitated.

"Freed isn't the only one who's abandoned you," continued Gray. "All of your inner circle has. Zalty's on our side now too." Given Zalty's role in Gray's detainment, it was a fair assumption that Laxus had some reason for holding the little man in special regard.

"Ha! See, now I know you're bluffing," crowed Laxus. "There's no way she would join the likes of you. Besides, if you really knew her, you would know she goes by a different name."

_She_? Gray hadn't been expecting that. But he hadn't missed how Laxus' eyes darkening with desire as he spoke of her.

"I assumed that Zalty was _your_ name for her," said Gray coolly. "When we're alone and it's just the two of us, _I_ call her something else," he purred.

Laxus roared, clenching his fists and slamming one into the stone wall behind him. "You lie!"

"Why would I do something like that?" said Gray, his shoulders jerking in the attempt at a shrug.

Laxus' eyes narrowed. "You're stalling."

"Am I?" asked Gray.

"You can't even stand," accused Laxus.

Gray raised an eyebrow. Laxus wanted him to stand? He could manage that. Gray fumbled for Porlyusica's vial, keeping it out of Laxus' sight. He had one more pill left. He tipped it into his palm.

"You're bluffing," insisted Laxus.

"Maybe," said Gray. With a silent prayer, he pressed his fist to his mouth, swallowing the last of the pills from Miracle Mak's. "Or maybe not."

Laxus's eyes bulged when Gray rolled to his feet.

Gray felt unsteady, but he couldn't let it show. So, he smirked, shrugging. He only had a few minutes to deal with Laxus, once and for all.

"No. Not possible!" croaked Laxus, taking a step back.

Gray shifted into an ice-magic stance, hoping that Laxus would recognize it.

"No, you shouldn't have any magic left!" said Laxus.

"Do you want to find out?" asked Gray, starting to move his hands in practiced patterns.

Laxus's eyes widened as he stumbled backward. He fell to the floor, landing on his rear in a jumble of arms and legs.

"Lucy, tie him up," said Gray.

"Right!" Lucy looked around the room, her eyes landing on the curtains from the bed canopy. Lucy rushed forward, tightening the fabric around Laxus' wrists. "Try to get out of that," she said, jerking on the makeshift ropes.

"His legs too," said Gray, feeling the all-too-familiar dizziness starting to take hold. No, not now! He had to hold out. "And hurry," he added.

Laxus snarled as Lucy stripped the sheets from the bed and bound him, tying him to one of the bedposts.

"You got him?" asked Gray.

"He's not getting out of that," said Lucy.

Gray's vision was starting to swim, but he had to keep going. As soon as Laxus realized that Gray wasn't about to unleash an unholy snowpocolypse on him, the prince would free himself.

"Nice work, Lucy! You know how to use a sword?" he asked.

"Um…"

"It's fine. Real easy," said Gray. He nodded at the one he had borrowed from Erza. "Just pick it up off the bed and threaten him with the pointy end. Nothing to it."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I know that. I'm not stupid," said Lucy, scrambling for the sword and threatening Laxus with it.

"Got it?" asked Gray.

Lucy nodded, her expression determined.

"Good…" Gray let out a sigh of relief, stumbling backwards and letting himself collapse.

* * *

**Good thinking, Gray! That's the way you do it when you're at the end of your rope.**

**In full disclosure, as I was editing this, I realize that I'm not sure I would have gone this route if this had been an original plot. Now, I'm not one to question the pros, but if it were any other fic, I wouldn't have incapacitated the hero so much that he couldn't do a final battle. Yes, the gimmicky time-lapsed pills were borrowed from the novel, though they glossed over this in the movie. (****The counterpoint was the hero in the original Princess Bride was more the clever type, so winning with his wit was still legit.) **

**I deviated just a bit from what the original protagonist did, since Laxus isn't the vain type. He wouldn't respond to threats of scorn form his people due to disfigurement. But I figured that losing support from his inner circle might push his buttons, though. I don't know. What do you think Laxus' weakness is?  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, let's flip back to our other standoff: **_"I want those words to be the last thing you hear," said Erza. "My name is Erza Scarlet! You killed my lover! Prepare to die!"_

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	31. Weight of Wishes and Life-Long Quests

**It's Monday! A couple weeks back, we left Erza and Lyon on the precipice of their personal battles. Of course, these two have been two sides of the same coin from the start (hint, hint).**

**Let's start with Erza.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The agony grounded Erza and brought her back to the present.

Jellal's dagger had hit her dangerously close to something important, but she couldn't remove it without risk of bleeding out. Steeling herself, Erza braced the dagger with one hand to keep it from moving and doing further damage. Then, she tightened her grip on her sword with the other.

The Simon that Erza knew was steadfast and incorruptible. _That_ was the man she had fallen in love with. Jellal, on the other hand, was a known criminal mastermind, the head of Fiore's underworld, and now one of the prince's henchmen. With that, her objective was clear and so was her conscience.

"My name is Erza Scarlet," she said, ignoring the pain that stirred as she raised her sword again. "You killed my lover. Prepare to die."

"You still think you can fight?" asked Jellal in amusement. He pointed his sword towards her, almost mockingly.

Erza parried Jellal's blade. Her wounds slowed her down, but Erza deflected blow after blow. She didn't care what this man claimed about Simon. It didn't matter. Jellal's words didn't change the crimes that he, himself, had committed.

This man needed to know what crime he was being punished for.

"My name is Erza Scarlet. You killed my lover. Prepare to die."

Jellal needed to be brought to justice. And she would be the one to deliver it. For Simon and for all those that Jellal had wronged with his schemes.

"My name is Erza Scarlet," she declared. "You killed my lover. Prepare to die!"

Jellal slammed her against a wall. The glass eye in her right socket dislodged by the force, momentarily catching Jellal's attention. Her injured eye was her advantage, for once. Erza whacked Jellal's sword aside and addressed him with hacking blows.

"My name is Erza Scarlet! You killed my lover. Prepare to die!"

"Why do you keep saying that?" demanded Jellal, as he jolted out of her reach, still matching her thrust for thrust and parry for parry.

"I want those words to be the last thing you hear," said Erza. "My name is Erza Scarlet! You killed my lover! Prepare to die!"

Like a machine, Erza soldiered on. Her injuries didn't matter, there was only one thing that did. Justice for Simon.

Though Erza fought ferociously, Jellal was stronger, quicker, more ruthless. Her injuries hampered her movements and every breath she drew felt like a fire that buzzed her nerve endings.

Erza brought her sword over her head with trembling arms. With the last of her strength, she drove the blade at Jellal.

Jellal knocked her sword out of the way with his own. Erza's blade sailed through the air before falling uselessly to the ground with a clatter. Erza lunged for it, crumbling as her strength gave out.

Was this how it ended?

Jellal tsked. "Give up already," he said.

No... She couldn't. Giving up was not an option. She had to finish this.

Justice for Simon.

Staggering to her feet, Erza looked for the one option she had left.

"My name… is Erza Scarlet," she gasped. Erza's knees folded. She felt weak and dizzy from the blood loss, but she could not stop.

But without a weapon, she had nothing. Though perhaps she wasn't entirely weaponless. Erza pulled Jellal's dagger from the wound in her side without hesitation. She knew that this would probably kill her, but she had nothing left to lose.

With the last of her strength, she threw her weight at him, knocking him backwards.

The smirk died on Jellal's face as the dagger found its fatal mark, burying itself in the man's heart.

Good.

Erza blinked away the blood that trickled from her forehead. The pain in her wounds dulled to an aching throb. Erza swayed, tipping backwards, as her ability to remain upright left her.

She was tired. So tired.

"Simon," Erza breathed, her eyes slipping shut.

Finally, she could rest.

* * *

Lyon couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"_You_ killed her?" asked Lyon, his stomach giving a nauseous twist.

Ultear's smug grin told him all he needed to know.

Lyon sucked air from between his teeth, fighting against the invisible band tightening around his chest. Master hadn't been entrusting him with her daughter… she was naming her murderer!

"If I'm being honest, she'd outlived her usefulness long before," commented Ultear, like she thought this was some kind of joke.

Lyon's vision flashed red at Ultear's words. He snarled, lashing out at her with a torrent of ice. "You sick, twisted—"

Ultear danced out of the way, looking amused. "I wondered if you were going to moon around like that forever," she lilted. "Like some poor, love-sick schoolboy." Her lip curled in contempt. "You'll have to do better than that."

There was still a small part of Lyon's heart that couldn't believe that Ultear was doing this. There had to be some mistake.

Yet, there she stood, unapologetic, admitting to the things she'd done. Laughing about them, even.

Lyon attacked again, molding a fearsome tiger out of ice. But before he could send the beast to destroy her, she melted it away with a wave of one hand and launching her orb with the other. Furiously, Lyon lunged, trying to dodge the speeding projectile that hurtled towards him. It slammed into his chest, knocking him to the floor before he could even try to defend himself.

Stars exploded in his vision as something hit the side of his head. He could hear Ultear snicker as he blinked the spots from his eyes.

He could see Ultear recalling the glass-like orb that she had been playing with when she had fought Natsu back in the tower.

"You murdered Ur in cold blood!" he barked.

"Couldn't have her finding out about my late night extracurriculars. Probably would have thought I was with you. Of course, she liked you."

Lyon clenched his fists. His pulse thundered like hoofbeats in his ears.

Ultear was a monster, no matter how much he wanted to believe otherwise. No matter how much he still cared…

She had broken his heart, but the pain in his heart was nothing compared to the rage that burned at the injustice of his master's death.

To be betrayed and murdered by her own daughter? It was unthinkable!

He attacked again, only to be thwarted. Every bit of ice he molded was melted before it left the ground. He just couldn't mold fast enough. He couldn't even move fast enough to finish without being pummeled by the sphere.

Lyon cast wildly, blinded by rage. Ice coated the walls and the floor. Icicles dripped from the ceiling. God help him, he'd create a blizzard in here if that was what he took.

But with a swipe of Ultear's hand, it melted away.

"Anger's a good look for you. It makes you look less weak. I might not have left you if you had shown more of that."

Anger? He was more than angry. He was furious.

But that wasn't helping him, was it?

He was an ice wizard. He couldn't do this. He couldn't let his temper get the best of him.

That was what Master Ur had taught him.

Ultear was baiting him with more relationship talk, but he wouldn't be distracted. That's just what she did. She wormed her way into men's hearts with her words, always knowing just what to say. Well, this time, he wouldn't let her distract him.

Shutting his eyes, Lyon calmed the torrent in his heart. He needed to put his anger aside. He needed to focus. Then, he needed to finish.

He'd never beat her because she had the upper hand. What were her advantages? First, her orb. He'd never get a hit in if she kept bludgeoning him. And second was the way she'd melt his ice. At this rate, he was essentially powerless against her.

He'd worry about the orb first and his ice later. She seemed to be using it as a focus for her magic. If he got it away from her, would that affect her spells and keep her from using her time magic?

He just needed to stop it, trap it somehow. If he focused, he could feel the orb, just like one could hear footsteps of a person passing by. He just had to concentrate.

Somewhere in the darkness, he could feel the twinge of magic energy, like a breeze against his skin.

With a single, deft motion, Lyon trapped the orb as it approached, leaving it to spin, suspended in an icy entrapment. Then, before she could melt it, Lyon collapsed the space, shattering the orb within it.

"Impossible!" gasped Ultear.

Lyon advanced on Ultear, not giving her any further opportunity to respond. "You're still as beautiful as the day I met you," he choked. "But now I can see the twisted freak you are."

Taking a shuddering breath, Lyon drew upon his magic, ice dancing at his fingertips. He pointed at Ultear, freezing her to the ground by covering her feet with ice. Then, he dropped the temperature.

With a scoff, she tried to dissolve the ice that held her in place. And she managed, reducing the block to a puddle of water that pooled beneath her feet. But her feet, themselves, had frozen. Frantically, she tried to thaw herself, her eyes widened when her feet remained cold and stiff.

"I thought as much," said Lyon, his jaw clenched.

"What—What are you doing?" demanded Ultear. "Lyon!"

Ultear may have been able to take objects backwards and forwards through time, but she had no such power over living things. What if he he froze _her_…?

"Lyon! Please!" gasped Ultear. "Don't do this."

He cast his magic, pulling it up her ankles and her legs. His attack crept up her knees, her thighs, her waist. She cried out as her very body turned into ice.

"Stop. Please. You're hurting me…" she whimpered, wrapping her arms around herself as her organs froze through.

As much as he despised her, her pain brought him no joy. If he was being honest, it wasn't easy to harm someone he had considered so dear for so long. But Lyon was unyielding as he drew the ice up along its path. He couldn't falter now.

Ultear had killed her own mother. He could have no sympathy, no affection, for someone like that. She was his master's murderer.

"Lyon, I lov—"

The treacherous words died on her lips as Lyon finished his spell, every cell in her body frozen solid.

"No, you didn't." Lyon swayed, crashing to his knees. For long years, he searched. All this time, his heart had been hers. But not anymore.

Now he knew the truth. He'd found what he'd been searching for. But there was no satisfaction in the truth, only a bone-deep chill that had nothing to do with his magic.

Lyon stared blankly at the icy coffin before him, the woman he once loved buried inside. He found his truth. Now, he just had to finish it. End it.

Jaw clenched, Lyon forced himself to his feet. With a surprisingly steady hand, he reached out, shattering the ice into tiny shards.

"Goodbye… Ultear."

Memories flooded his senses.

He remembered the day he realized he loved her. The way his eyes followed her whenever she was in the room and his mind followed when she wasn't. He remembered the day he confessed his feelings, and the day Master had given her permission for him to court Ultear. He remembered how it felt to lose them. The precious teacher that he loved like a mother, and the beautiful young woman that he wanted to make his wife.

Lyon gave a dry sob.

But he couldn't wallow here. He had comrades to support!

Where was Erza? Natsu? Gray? He needed to get back to them.

* * *

Erza found herself surrounded by white. The ground beneath her wasn't solid, and it felt like she was floating.

"Erza."

Erza recognized the voice, but she almost didn't believe it. But there he was, shrouded light and wearing robes in the purest of white.

"Simon?" Erza rubbed at her good eye, fearful of being deceived by another illusion.

"Yes."

"Where are we?" asked Erza. "Are you—?"

"I'm just here to say goodbye," said Simon.

"Goodbye?" said Erza. "But I just got here. And it's been so long and… and I still have so many questions—"

Simon just smiled. "You kept your promise. I can move on now, and so can you. That's all you need to know."

"Move on? Where are you going? Take me with you," she said. "Simon!"

"It's not your time yet, Erza," he said. "You need to go back."

"Back? No. I'm not leaving you. I've finally found you again!"

Simon shook his head. "That's not how it works. You still have things to do. There are still people who rely on you."

"Wait. Just tell me one thing… Were you really working for Jellal?" she asked.

"Erza…" Simon looked away.

"Answer the question," she demanded, wanting to know, but fearing the truth.

"It doesn't matter, does it?" said Simon.

"It matters to me," said Erza.

Simon shook his head. "Let the past remain in the past. Time to let it go, Erza."

"But—"

"Let it go," said Simon. "I love you, Erza. I always have. And I always will. That's the only thing that matters now."

"I love you, too," she whispered around the lump in her throat.

"That's why I need you to go back. I need you to go and do something for _yourself_ for a change, something that's going to make you truly happy. Can you do that?"

Biting her lip, Erza nodded.

"Goodbye, Erza. Live a long and happy life."

"Rest in peace, Simon," she whispered.

"We'll see each other again, someday. But until then, _live_."

* * *

Retracing his steps, Lyon found himself back in the main hall where they had parted ways. The armory door had been blown open, Erza's handiwork, no doubt, judging by the clean lines and complete obliteration.

The smell of iron hit his nostrils as he entered. Lyon took in the bloody carnage that painted the walls. And there, in the center of it…

"Erza! No! No, no, no!"

Lyon rushed forward, skidding to a stop next to her. Her pulse was thready beneath his fingers, but it was there.

"Thank God," he breathed. Relief left him lightheaded, but his heart chest hurt at how pale and still she was. It was an almost familiar feeling, but yet… not so much.

Erza was alive, but she was still badly injured. There was a worrying stab wound just below her ribs, bleeding freely. He may have come just in time. As long as he could stop the bleeding, she should survive. Out of their mismatched trio, she had always been the strongest of them, after all.

Working quickly, Lyon iced Erza's injuries, covering bruises and gashes, trying to treat the worst of her wounds.

Erza whimpered as he applied pressure to her side, trying to stem the bleeding before sealing it with ice.

"You're all right," said Lyon. "You're safe, Erza."

"S-Simon?" she murmured, as he eyes fluttered open.

"No, it's me," he said. Lyon gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. He wanted her to know that he was there and that she wasn't alone.

He couldn't help but smile as recognition sparked in her eyes.

"Lyon."

"Sleeping on the job, I see," he said, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy between them, even as his throat tightened with an emotion he didn't fully understand.

But, for once, Erza didn't respond to the challenge.

"Is he—? Did I—" she whispered, her voice faint.

Lyon sobered. "Yes," he said. "Yes, you did. He's dead."

"I got him?"

"You got him."

"Good," breathed Erza. "I—Simon…"

"Shhh." Lyon patted the back of her hand. "Rest easy. It's over now."

The tension started to drain from her as she relaxed. Her head lolled to the side, bumping against his knee.

"Lyon?"

"Hm?" He rubbed circles in the back of her hand with his thumb. He found the idle, repetitive motion soothing, and he hoped she did too.

"Did you… find her? Did you find… what you were… looking for?"

Did he?

"… yes."

It wasn't the answer he wanted, but at least, now he knew.

* * *

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****: **_Natsu burst into the room just in time to see the Princess Lucy threatening Laxus with a sword. It was so freakin' funny that Natsu almost laughed._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	32. Escape

**It's Monday! And in this week's True Confessions I'll admit this story is the one that got me excited about writing Natsu. To be honest, I didn't really know what to do with him at the beginning (and it probably shows, huh?). Sometimes, I still don't always know, but I feel like I understand him better now. :) You'll see me do a lot more with him in future stories as I start to play with the different aspects of his personality.**

**That said, here's Natsu!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

It was a sight that he wasn't likely to forget.

Natsu burst into the room just in time to see the Princess Lucy threatening Laxus with a _sword_. It was so freakin' funny that Natsu almost laughed.

But the stupid Ice Block chose that moment to collapse.

"Gray!" cried Lucy. The sword fell from Lucy's fingers, clattering to the floor.

The prince lashed at his bonds. Were those _bedsheets?_ Probably not how he imagined his wedding night going.

"Move and you're barbecue," snarled Natsu, igniting his fists and preventing Laxus from tearing through the fabric. Any more and he'd be loose.

Did those two honestly think _bedsheets_ would hold him? Laxus was a dragon slayer, for crying out loud!

Gray must have been really, really desperate.

Keeping one eye on his prisoner, Natsu watched Lucy rush to her lover's side, falling to her knees next to him.

"Gray! Say something," begged Lucy.

"You weren't supposed to drop that…" he murmured weakly.

"Oh, Gray…" Lucy stroked his cheek. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Don't worry."

"What happened?" asked Lucy, concern creasing her features.

"…I was bluffing," admitted Gray, his smile rueful.

"Ha!" snorted Laxus. "I knew it!" he roared.

Gray waved for Lucy to help him up. She gave a worried frown, but did so, keeping a hand at his back.

"I _knew_ you were bluffing," insisted Laxus.

"Yet, that didn't help you at all," croaked Gray, his smile growing sharp.

Laxus snarled, struggling against Lucy's knots.

"Can it!" barked Natsu. He grabbed the discarded sword, heating up the blade with his flames until it glowed orange. He shot Laxus a meaningful look.

"Do you always have to make an entrance, Natsu?" Gray complained. He gave Lucy's hand a reassuring squeeze as she tried to shush him.

"What? It's not like I do this on purpose… Besides, you were doing fine," said Natsu.

"Whatever," said Gray. "Where's Erza and Lyon?"

"No idea," said Natsu. "They sent me after you. And a good thing, too. Looks like I showed up just in time to save your sorry butt."

Gray rolled his eyes.

"What do we do now?" asked Lucy.

"Um, well…" Gray frowned.

"You don't know?" asked Natsu.

"Hey, I'm making this up as I go," said Gray. "We should probably start by getting out of here."

"You'll never get out of here," said Laxus.

"Didn't ask for your opinion," snapped Natsu, brandishing the super-heated blade at Laxus' face.

The prince flinched away.

"Lucy, go look out the window," said Gray.

"But—"

"I'll be okay. Just go look out the window."

Lucy stood, but not before giving Gray a peck on the cheek. She made her way to the window and peered out. "What am I looking for?" she asked.

"See anything that might be useful?"

"Define useful. We're on the third floor."

"Okay, what about anything that's out of place?" said Gray.

"Hey, what's that?" said Lucy.

"What?" asked Natsu. He couldn't see anything from his spot guarding Laxus.

"There's like… a bird," reported Lucy. "Except it's not a real bird. It's like the stuff that you make, Gray."

Natsu and Gray exchanged glances.

"It's Lyon!"

"And hopefully Erza, too."

"Your other two friends that helped kidnap me?" Lucy asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah… sorry about that," chuckled Natsu, starting to shrug, but stopping when Laxus looked like he was going to bolt.

"I'll forgive you. But only since you and Gray are obviously working together now," said Lucy. She leaned out the open window. "We're up here!" she shouted.

Lyon was shouting something that Natsu could just barely make out if he strained his ears.

"I'm assuming 'we' refers to you and Gray?" asked Lyon.

"And Natsu," said Lucy.

"Mission accomplished then," said Erza's voice, though it was soft and lacked its normal bossy quality.

"They're here to rescue us!" cheered Lucy, flashing a thumbs-up at the boys.

"Do you think you can get out the window?" asked Lyon.

"You mean jump?" asked Lucy, sounding unsure. She glanced back over her shoulder at Gray and Natsu again.

"Send Natsu over," said Erza. "We'll work it out with him."

"She wants to talk to you," Lucy relayed.

Natsu blinked in surprise. He wasn't entirely sure why, but he hadn't expected his teammates to remember him.

"Play nice or I'll shove a fireball down your throat," he hissed at Laxus. Then he handed the blade over to Lucy. "Keep the sword on him. Actually, on second thought…"

Honestly, he didn't trust Lucy to keep Laxus secure. The girl was no fighter. Instead Natsu headbutted the prince, knocking him out.

"That takes care of that," said Natsu, grinning.

"And they say _I'm_ hard-headed. Why didn't you do that in the first place?" muttered Gray as Lucy rejoined him, now that Laxus didn't need guarding anymore.

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda," shrugged Natsu. He dashed to the window, looking down at his disheveled teammates.

"Natsu!" shouted Lyon, waving up at him. Lyon and Erza were on the back of one of Lyon's creations. A stallion made of ice. Erza was sitting behind him, looking battle worn. She was probably injured if she had agreed to ride double with him like that.

Behind them, they had two spare mounts in tow. Except, these two horses were real. They looked suspiciously like two of the horses that had been abandoned by the Pegasus Mounted Guard earlier.

"Wow… what happened to you two?" asked Natsu.

"It's a long story," Lyon said.

"What's the situation up there?" asked Erza, taking command and getting straight to the point, as always.

"Gray and princess, present and accounted for," said Natsu, grinning. "Laxus down for the count, at least for now. But Gray is too. He can't really stand anymore… Um, I think that's everything. Yeah."

"Can you get everyone down here?" asked Erza.

"I'll figure something out," said Natsu.

"If the princess won't jump, I can send an eagle up for her," Lyon said. "Just worry about yourself and Gray."

"Oh, I got it," said Natsu, flashing a thumbs-up. "It's under control."

"Why do I feel cause for concern when you use those words?" sighed Lyon.

Natsu ducked back into the room. "Get over here, you guys. You know how to ride a horse?" he asked the princess.

"Sure do," said Lucy. "I was riding when we first met, remember?"

"Oh. Right."

Lucy helped Gray to his feet so he could join her at the window.

Natsu couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy at how sweet these two were. They'd fight anything just to be together. He had never been in that sort of position before.

The closest thing he had to that was Lyon and Erza. But his own team felt like it was starting to drift apart. Even though they still needed him, it wasn't the same.

Sometimes Natsu wondered what he was really looking for…

"Lucy's first," said Natsu, waving her towards the window.

"But, what about—"

"Gray and I will be right behind ya," said Natsu.

"Go on," said Gray.

Lucy climbed out, conducted by Lyon's ice eagle.

"All right, there?" asked Lyon once she had settled into the saddle.

Lucy nodded.

"Lucy, catch!" shouted Natsu. He pushed Gray out the window, the other letting out an unceremonious yell.

Thankfully, Lucy was fast. She was there in an instant, turning her horse so that she was able to catch Gray.

"Hi…" she said, smiling at him. She shifted so that he was cradled in front of her. "You okay?"

"My hero," teased Gray.

Lucy smiled fondly. "It's only fair, right?" she asked, before leaning forward to kiss him.

"You weren't joking when you said you knew how to ride," observed Erza.

"Grew up on a farm," shrugged Lucy.

Lyon glowered up at the window. "What was _that_?" he demanded irritably.

"Oops," said Natsu, entirely unapologetic.

"Idiot," muttered Lyon.

Natsu grinned at him. He climbed onto the windowsill, swan-diving out of the window and landing on the third steed.

"You know you're going to break the horse's back that way, right?" asked Lucy.

"Oops," said Natsu again, sounding genuine this time.

"Let's get out of here," said Gray.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," said Lucy.

* * *

The team rode away from the castle and into the countryside, finally stopping when Erza pronounced them to be a safe distance away. They stayed at a tiny inn to recover from the ordeal, or in Gray and Erza's case, heal and regain their strength.

Finally, though, after a few days, everyone was rested, and it was time to move on.

"So, what now?" asked Erza at breakfast one morning.

Natsu was surprised to see her so complacent. Normally she was the one giving direction. It was super weird for her to be asking for it.

"I don't know," said Lyon. "After this, I just…" He shrugged, shaking his head. "I think I need some time to myself. Sort things through, so to say."

Natsu felt a surge of disappointment. Sure, he hadn't expected his team to stay together forever, but he hadn't thought he'd have to say goodbye so soon.

"Where will you go?" asked Erza.

"I don't know," said Lyon absently. "Somewhere."

"Have you ever considered going to sea?" asked Gray.

"No. Why on earth would I do that?" asked Lyon, arching an eyebrow.

"Y'know, you'd make an excellent Captain Silver," said Gray seriously.

"I don't think so," said Lyon with a skeptical frown.

"Why not?" asked Gray.

"With Ultear..." Lyon shook his head, at a loss for words. "There's nothing left for me here."

"That's the beauty of it," said Gray. "You wouldn't be _here_."

"Perhaps," said Lyon. "But I doubt anyone would believe that I'm him. The Dread Pirate Silver has quite the fearsome reputation."

"True, he's a talented ice mage, reputed to be the best on land or sea," Gray reminded him.

"The best, you say?" Lyon perked up, Gray having played to his ego.

Gray nodded.

"See, it's perfect for you," said Natsu.

"When you put it that way…" Lyon pondered it for a second. "I suppose I have nothing to lose."

"Nowhere to go but up," agreed Gray. "It's a good gig. You'll see."

"I think I'll be joining you," said Erza.

For some reason, Natsu wasn't entirely surprised to hear that. Oddly enough, Lyon seemed to be.

"Erza, _no_," said Lyon. "Why would you want to go off to sea? You've faced your past and you've gotten your revenge for Simon. Now, you can finally—"

"And that's left me in the same place as you," said Erza, locking eyes with him. "Nowhere to go. Nothing to fight for."

"That's not—" Lyon started to say.

"You know, it's not a bad idea," said Gray. "Every new Silver needs a right-hand man. Or woman. I wouldn't have been able to become Silver so thoroughly if the last Silver hadn't stuck around as my first mate. I won't be able to do that for you, Lyon. But there's no reason why Erza can't fill that role."

"You need me, Vastia," said Erza. "Kindly remember that."

"Swab the deck, ya salty wench," Lyon growled, narrowing his eyes.

"Watch your tone, you—oh… I mean, aye-aye, Cap'n Silver!" Erza bellowed, slipping into the role.

Lyon fought to keep a straight face. "This could prove to be very interesting."

"For both of us," agreed Erza. "You, in charge? Terrifying."

"You'll adjust, I'm sure," said Lyon.

"I feel for you, Erza," said Gray. "He's insufferable."

"We've worked together long enough that I'm used to it," she said.

"What about you, Natsu?" asked Lucy. "Will you be going with them?"

Natsu shook his head. He hated boats. Part of him was a little disappointed that his companions had chosen to go somewhere he couldn't follow. Another, small, part of him knew that even if they hadn't, he wouldn't have come along. Three was a crowd. At least, that's what everyone said.

"These two may have accomplished their life-long quests or whatever, but I haven't," said Natsu. "So, I'm going to keep searching. I won't rest until I find that firecracker chicken," he vowed, though part of him wondered if that was really what he was looking for. "I'll travel to the ends of the earth if I have to."

"So, this is where we part ways, then," said Erza.

"Guess so," said Natsu, feeling a little bit hollow inside.

"Oddly enough, I think I'm going to miss your childish prattle and ill-timed exclamations," admitted Lyon.

"Inconsolable! Aw, you too, buddy!" said Natsu, forcing a cheeky grin. "Bring it in, you guys. Come on, great big group hug! You too," he said to Gray and Lucy, waving at them to join.

Gray and Lucy exchanged glances, letting themselves get swept up in the tangle of arms and legs.

"Whose elbow is that?" demanded Lyon. "Kindly remove it. You're digging into my ribs."

"Hey, watch your hand," snapped Lucy.

"That's _my_ hand," said Gray.

"No, _I've_ got your hand," said Erza.

"Well, then who—" started Gray.

"I'm going to miss you guys…" said Natsu, a lump rising in his throat.

* * *

**And with this... all that's left is to see where everyone ended up.  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, an epilogue: **_Gray and Lucy wished their new friends well as each departed on the next chapter of their lives. With both prince and castle nothing but a distant memory, they were left to decide what their own futures would hold._

**Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	33. Epilogue

**It's Monday! And this week, we get to bid farewell to our heroes and see what fates await them.**

**As a side note, I actually can't claim credit for sending Lyon and Erza to take over the role of Dread Pirate Silver. The original author of Princess Bride actually used that as the fate for his intrepid swordsman after his revenge quest ended. (I think it's just in the novel.) Given that I split that character, it was only fair that I send both halves back to sea. Go Team Lyza. :)**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

After they parted ways, Natsu headed west, beginning his quest for the 8-Island chef in earnest. He traveled mostly on foot, walking from town to town, stopping only when he got tired, and moving on when he got bored.

It felt as if he had been traveled for months and months. Mostly because it was true. Natsu had asked at every bar, every restaurant, every inn. Nobody had seen the 8-Island chef.

Even he had to admit that his quest might be a lost cause. After one final restaurant, he'd return home. Wherever that was.

Did he even have a home? Since the team had split, he had never stopped anywhere for long. And even when they were still together, they were always traveling, on missions or to follow up on leads pertaining to Jellal or Ultear.

Natsu stepped inside a dingy diner, a familiar spicy scent tickling his nose. It reminded him of another time and another place.

"Hey, something smells good!" said Natsu.

A sophisticated woman with long hair was carrying a tray towards the back of the restaurant. She looked to be about his age.

"Grab a seat. I'll be right with you," she called.

Natsu watched as she walked off. She was pretty, with curves in all the right places.

By the time Natsu had chosen a booth, the woman had returned with a pad of paper. "What can I get you?" she asked.

"So…" started Natsu. He trailed off as a soft mewing reaching his ears. He looked down to find a pair of kittens circling the woman's ankles.

"You guys! You're not supposed to be out here," she scolded. She tried to shoo the animals away, but they continued to circle her ankles. "Sorry," she said apologetically. "They're harmless…"

"Nah, it's fine," said Natsu. One of the cats had a silvery grey coat that looked almost blue. He purred, pawing at Natsu's leg.

"I think he likes you," said the woman. "He doesn't usually take to strangers. That's Happy. The white one's Charle."

Happy continued to nuzzle at Natsu's leg while Charle groomed her paws, entirely apathetic.

"Happy, huh? Hey, little buddy." He reached down to scratch Happy behind his ears. The cat swished its tail, pleased. Or _happy_, to put it in other words.

"You like cats?" she asked softly.

"…I guess, yeah," he shrugged. Natsu reached for Charle to pat her on the head too. She turned primly, showing no interest in Natsu at all.

Natsu pouted, but he turned back to petting Happy.

"Was there something I could get for you?" she asked.

"Just one thing…" said Natsu. "Is that firecracker chicken I smell?"

The woman grinned. "Good nose! That it is. It's the best in the kingdom."

"It actually might be," agreed Natsu. "Can I get an order of that?"

The woman grinned. "Hey, Gramps! One firecracker chicken!" she shouted. "So, you new in town?"

"Just passing through," said Natsu, reaching down to play with Happy again.

The woman's smile faltered slightly. "Is that right? I guess there's no point in asking for your name, then?"

"I'm Natsu," he said.

"Gotcha. My name's—"

"Order's up!" came a shout from the kitchen.

"Let me go get that for you," said the woman.

The waitress returned with a bowl of chicken smothered in sticky sauce. She set the dish in front of Natsu.

Natsu's hand trembled as he reached for his fork. Was this it? Was this the end of his life-long quest? Now he was starting to understand how Erza and Lyon had felt.

Natsu forked a bite of the chicken. His taste buds exploded in heat and flavor the instant it touched his tongue. Natsu's eyes started watering.

This was it!

"How is it?" asked the waitress. "What's wrong?

"Can I see the man who made this amazing dish?" he asked, grinning. His eyes were damp from chili sauce and emotion.

"Um… okay. Hey, Gramps!" shouted the woman. "Guy out here wants to talk to you."

An old man in a chef jacket tottered out into the dining room.

Natsu's face went slack. He burst into tears. "Chef, where have you been?" he cried.

"Who—"

"Don't you remember? It's me! Natsu! One of your regulars from 8-Island."

The chef smiled. "Ah, that's right! I remember you now. Natsu, my boy! It's been too long! What brings you all the way out here?"

"What brings me—Chef, I was looking for _you_!"

"Me?" asked the old man, silver brows furrowing. "Whatever for?"

Natsu shook his head in disbelief. "After 8-Island closed, I didn't know what I was going to do! Who else would listen to my stupid stories? Who else would tell me off for making a mess? Where else would I go after I came home? Chef, I missed you… Ugh, is that weird?"

"Maybe just a little bit," said the chef.

"Why did you leave?" asked Natsu gently.

Chef laughed. "That's no secret, my boy. I was getting tired of that place. It was too hot in the summer and the cold was havoc on my arthritis in the winter. The change of scenery was good for my health. Plus, my family's here."

"Family…" repeated Natsu.

"That's right. My granddaughter works here. She keeps me company in my old age. Her, and the cats, of course."

"That's the secret sauce…" mumbled Natsu.

"What? What are you talking about?" asked Chef.

"Nothing, Chef," grinned Natsu. "It's great to see you again, man."

"Enjoy your food."

Natsu finished his meal with gusto, scraping the last of the chef's secret firecracker sauce from his bowl with his spoon and licking it clean. He looked up when he heard a soft laugh.

The waitress was watching him from behind the diner counter. She ducked her head, blushing when she realized that he had noticed her.

Natsu grinned, waving at her. Then he changed his mind and waved her over instead.

"Something else I can get you?" asked the woman.

"Your name?" asked Natsu earnestly.

"That's… that's a new one," laughed the woman. "I'm Wendy."

"Say, Wendy. Do you think the old man needs any help in the back?"

"…I can ask," she said. "But I thought you said you were just passing through?"

"Actually, I might stick around for a little while," said Natsu. "If you want. Both of you, that is."

Wendy smiled. "Let me talk to Gramps. Just a sec."

Natsu watched as Wendy retreated back into the kitchen. He smiled to himself. Between Wendy, the old chef, a couple of cats, things here seemed just about perfect. Plus, there was all the firecracker chicken he could eat.

He might be staying for a _long_ while.

* * *

She strode along the deck, checking that the lines were secure. Everything seemed to be in order. Ship shape, as they said.

Erza closed her eyes, breathing in the salty air. Gray had been right. The sea had been a great escape, for both herself and Lyon.

The moon hit the waves, making them glisten with majestic calm. Erza had never realized that the sea could be so beautiful.

It had taken some getting used to, pretending that he was in charge, but over time, they fell into the habit. Now, letting him lead was almost second nature.

Near the other bow, a lone figure was illuminated by the moonlight. Lyon had been gazing out at the sea, moody as a summer storm. Erza frowned. She thought he had gone to bed.

"Penny for your thoughts, Captain?" she asked.

"Erza? What are you doing up so late?" said Lyon.

"Just doing my evening rounds. Everything's in ship-shape, Captain," she reported. "But I could ask you the same thing. Late night for you," said Erza.

"I'm just enjoying the view, I suppose," said Lyon. There was something fond in his eyes, yet somehow distant.

"It's beautiful," said Erza.

"It is," agreed Lyon, his gaze shifting back towards the horizon.

"Then what's the matter?" she asked.

Lyon was quiet for a while, and Erza almost wondered if she should leave him to his thoughts.

"…Are you sure you don't regret coming to sea?" he asked finally. "We left in a rush."

"I've enjoyed being a pirate," said Erza easily.

Lyon gave her a disbelieving look.

"We were mercenaries before. It's pretty much the same thing," she said.

"I suppose," he shrugged. Then he sighed, scanning the horizon again.

There was only one thing that could put _that_ expression on his face.

"Do you still think about her?" asked Erza.

Lyon didn't even have to ask who 'her' was.

He gave a wry smile. "I don't think I'll ever _stop_ thinking about her," he admitted.

"I see," said Erza.

The idea made her a little bit sad. But only because she knew what it was like to be trapped in the past, unable to move on. Erza toyed with the edge of her eyepatch absently.

The motion caught Lyon's eye. "You could have had Porlyusica restore your vision. Or at the very least, gotten a replacement for the glass eye."

"No, we've talked about this. It was too much trouble," said Erza. "The crew of the _Absolute Zero_ had been waiting for their captain for long enough. And besides, an eyepatch seemed fitting for my new role." Erza listed off the reasons on her fingers.

"You know I don't buy that for a second," said Lyon, unwilling to accept that answer tonight.

Erza hesitated.

"I wanted to get you away from there and out to sea as soon as possible," said Erza finally. That was true, at least partially.

"I was afraid you'd say that," groaned Lyon. "I would have waited, you know. If it was really important to you—"

"Lyon, don't forget. I've been in the same place as you're in. Except, I didn't have anyone to help me, then. At least, not until I met up with you, and then Natsu. That's what had me so bent on getting revenge on Jellal. It's a… dark place to be," said Erza. "It wasn't something that I wanted for you. _That_ was much more important to me than getting some marble to keep in my head."

Lyon scowled in annoyance. "You're an idiot," he growled.

Erza winced.

She had only told him that because she didn't want Lyon to know her real reason for keeping it. It was far too personal, and she wasn't ready to share. Besides, she thought he would be happy to know that somebody cared and that he didn't have to face his struggles alone.

Instead Erza had only saddled her friend with another regret. Another thing to feel guilty over.

"That's not it, actually," blurted Erza. "I just…" She shrugged, words failing her.

"…Go on," he said quietly.

"I _do_ care about you. That part was true," she said. "But… But I'm holding onto this for _me_. I suppose I wasn't ready to let go of it yet." She smiled ruefully, her hand pressed against the patch. "This eye patch represents a part of my history that I don't want to forget," said Erza simply. She hoped that Lyon would understand. She didn't feel like elaborating further.

When she had first gotten her glass eye, she had been running away from the truth. She couldn't accept that Simon was gone, and she thought that going after Jellal would make the hurt go away. How wrong she was! Instead, it consumed her.

She knew better now.

Going back to Miracle Mak's to have Porlyusica heal her eye would reset things, like they had never happened… She didn't want to do that either. She didn't want to forget. That felt almost disrespectful to Simon. She was at peace with Simon's death, but she'd never forget her hatred towards the man that killed him. Jellal, the man with the seal over his eye.

Apparently, Lyon wasn't the only one clinging on to the past.

Erza wondered how long it would take them to well and truly move on.

"The eyepatch. Do you dislike it?" she asked suddenly. For a moment, Erza was afraid that Lyon would be bothered by the memories that her eyepatch brought. It was a constant reminder of their ironically fruitless quest.

Lyon was silent, studying her for a long while. Then he shook his head, smiling slightly. "…I think it makes you look fierce," he finally proclaimed, tapping it gently with two fingers.

"Really?"

"A fitting first mate for the Dread Pirate, Captain Silver," he added, a note of smugness entering his voice.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Lyon," she said. "You might own the ship, but _I _still own you."

His gaze sharpened at the challenge, gaze flitting from her eyes to hand she had clasped against the hull, right next to his.

Erza chuckled, enjoying how his eyes had darkened appreciatively. "Not out in the open, like this," she reminded him. "You know better than that." They had to keep up appearances after all. They didn't need the crew knowing about their shared history.

"Of course, not. Next time, I'll find some place more secluded to brood," he said simply.

"We'll pick up where we left off, then," she said, surprised by her own boldness.

Lyon snorted, shaking his head before turning to head back to his quarters. "Night, Erza."

"Good night, Lyon."

* * *

Gray and Lucy wished their new friends well as each departed on the next chapter of their lives. With both prince and castle nothing but a distant memory, they were left to decide what their own futures would hold.

"Where do we go from here?" asked Lucy.

Gray looked thoughtful. "Where do you want to go?" he asked, slipping his hand into hers.

"I could go for some turnips right about now," said Lucy shyly.

"Really?" asked Gray.

Lucy nodded.

Gray sighed. "Unfortunately, we can't go back to the farm," he said. "Laxus will find us there."

"Laxus can find us _anywhere_," Lucy pointed out.

"How about a plan B?" asked Gray.

Before Lyon and Erza had set sail, Gray had accompanied them back to the _Absolute Zero_. He had gathered as much of his treasure as he could carry. Though it was a small fraction of all the riches he had amassed during his time as the Dread Pirate Silver, it would be more than enough for him and for Lucy to make their escape.

"Let's go to Sabertooth, like we talked about," said Gray. "Even if he knows that we're there, at least he won't be able to do anything about it."

Lucy nodded. "That works for me. Anywhere's fine, as long as it's with you," she said.

The journey to Sabertooth was long. Gray and Lucy traveled at night to avoid being seen. They were always afraid of being discovered. But eventually, they made it to Sabertooth.

They even had just enough money left to buy a modest cottage in a small, sleepy town. Slowly, Gray and Lucy began to embrace their new life.

Gray would wake up in the morning and make coffee, pouring a cup for himself and one for Lucy before her feet would touch the floorboards.

They'd eat breakfast together, and then he'd prepare to go into town. He had gotten a position as an apprentice carpenter. Making things out of wood didn't come to him as easily as crafting out of ice had, but it was good enough to get him paid.

Lucy, on the other hand, found work at the town tavern. They had needed a dishwasher and she had needed the money. It was hard work, being up to her elbows in suds for hours at a time. And to think, not too long ago, she was the Princess of Fiore! But Lucy didn't complain. It was worth it. And besides, it was no worse than working on a turnip farm.

It was very similar to the way they had been before, before all of this had happened. Except for all the 'I love you's,' of course. They'd have breakfast. I love you. And off to work. I love you, when they came home. And after that. I love you.

Lucy found herself content, for once, wanting no life other than the one before her. She was surprised to hear Gray bring the topic up.

"I think we can do better than this," said Gray one evening, as he set Lucy's dinner down before her.

"Oh, no," said Lucy, frowning as she shook her head. "Don't you remember what happened the last time you said that?"

"You became a princess and I became fabulously rich?" asked Gray, half-joking.

Lucy gave him a playful whack in the shoulder.

"What? Honestly, though? Can you blame me for that?" asked Gray. "You had wanted to be a princess. And you deserve it. You deserve _everything…_"

"That was so long ago. Things are different now," said Lucy, smiling slightly.

"How do you figure?" asked Gray.

"Being a princess didn't make me happy, because you weren't there. Being a farmer wouldn't make me _un_happy, if it was with you."

"But I want more than this for you," said Gray seriously. He turned her hand face-up, taking in her coarse palm and weathered fingers. "Your hands weren't meant for work like this. I want to be able to provide you better than this life."

"These hands were meant to hold yours." She laced her fingers through his, brushing a thumb over his knuckles affectionately. "I don't want anything other than this life. Gray, I just want to spend the rest of my days with you," said Lucy. "I promise, I'll never be dissatisfied again, as long as I have you at my side."

"Are you sure? Really sure?" he asked.

"Just stay with me, Gray. That's all I ask."

Gray grinned, as he leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. "Yes, Milady. As you wish."

* * *

**And they lived happily ever after!**

**Well, that's a wrap and—**

**Oh, are we feeling gypped by this epilogue? Feel like Gray and Lucy deserve a better send-off? **

**Gray agrees with you. (Not this Gray; the _real _Gray.)**

**Confused? ****Well, we've actually got one more chapter to sort this out. (Or go back and have another look at Chapter 1. XD)  
**

**Next time, in ****_As You Wish_****, Fairy Tail reacts to Lucy's book at the launch party: **_"Well, it's the ending… It was sort of abrupt. All the other characters got a decent epilogue. I was kinda hoping for a little bit more for the leads, y'know?"_

**Stop back next Monday for the real final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	34. Epilogue II: Fairy Tail Reacts

**It's Monday... and the last one for this fic! What a ride, you guys! It's been so much fun getting to write for you. Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read this fic and indulge in my imagination.  
**

**As I tried to bring this fic to a close, I was feeling a little stuck. Normally, my writing is (unfortunately) pretty formulaic, just because of the stuff that I personally watch and enjoy. And at the end of the story you circle back to reference the beginning, maybe double-down on some of the romance to end with a bang. But with _As You Wish_, I couldn't figure out how to amp up beyond what we already did. We already got a Graylu kiss at the start of the story... and quite a few others throughout. How do we top that?**

**Looking at the source media (both film and book) weren't helping. ******But then I thought about the movie. In the last scene the grandfather finishes the book. They talk for a bit and ****reminding the audience that this was a story-in-a-story. The end. Pretty anticlamatic, all things considered.****

**The novel literally leaves the heroes hanging. (SPOILER... though does it really count, you've read my take on it already.) As they're escaping the castle on horseback, the Prince Humperdink makes chase. The Westley passes out, Inigo succumbs to his injuries as well. This is followed by an author commentary along the lines of: it looks bad, and in reality it would be, but I'm a believer in happy endings, so I'm sure they all make it out somehow and live happily ever after. This is then followed by an epilogue where Goldman talks about the bonus short-story sequel "Buttercup's Baby" that he wants to write but can't get approved by the S. Morganstern estate. Obviously, neither of these things really exists, meaning that Goldman trolled 'til the end. **

**Obviously, I wasn't going to leave you with that ending, hence last week's chapter. ****This final chapter takes the story-in-a-story concept and tries to have some fun with it as one last huzzah for this universe. Enjoy!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lucy could hardly contain her eagerness when Gray snapped the book shut. She plopped down on the couch, looking at her boyfriend expectantly. "So, what did you think, Gray?"

Gray shrugged, a frown pulling at his features. "I don't know. It was good, I guess."

"You guess?"

"I mean, great work, Lucy," he said, his tone a touch flat. "It's was a really good read and you should be proud."

"Seriously, Gray? I can tell when you're not being straight with me. What do you _really_ think? Did you not like it?"

"Oh, no, I liked it," said Gray. "It's just…"

"Just what?" asked Lucy.

"Is it too late to change a part of it? Just a little bit," said Gray, holding up a hand and pinching his thumb and forefinger together.

Lucy frowned. "You didn't like it."

"Well, it's the ending… It was sort of abrupt. All the other characters got a decent epilogue. I was kinda hoping for a little bit more for the leads, y'know?"

"Gray, the original author didn't even give them an ending," said Lucy. "He sort of left it open. Literally, the last line is them getting chased by the prince again as the hero passes out," she explained.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Bad, I know," said Lucy.

"Bad? This guy sounds like a troll," chuckled Gray, shaking his head.

"You have no idea. I'm already taking creative liberties by adding that last kiss in there and tying up loose ends. My editor wasn't too happy with that as it was."

"Would you think about it at least? I'm sure your editor wouldn't mind a _little_ change," said Gray.

"Gray," said Lucy, trying to keep the exasperation from her voice. "The release party is in under an hour and the book hits the presses tomorrow. There's no time for changes."

"An hour?" asked Gray, his eyes widening.

"Less than," reminded Lucy.

"I need to go get ready!" said Gray, dropping the proof of Lucy's latest novel onto the cushions as he jumped to his feet. "I got so sucked in that I didn't realize how late it had gotten."

Lucy eyed the clock while Gray showered and got dressed. Gray rejoined her in the living room in record time, dressed in a dark suit and a tie that brought out his eyes.

"You clean up nice, Fullbuster," said Lucy, giving a nod of approval.

"Thank you very much, Ms. Ful—Heartfilia," he teased, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Now, let's get you to your party."

The highly anticipated _As You Wish_ was expected to be the hottest book of the summer. While Lucy had made some public appearances leading up to the release, her guildmates had wanted to have a little celebration of their own. The Fairy Tail guild hall was packed with her teammates, their families, as well as friends from other guilds. Lucy was beyond thrilled that all of them had wanted to help her celebrate her latest work.

"Great story, Lu!" said Levy, catching her by the punch bowl. "Antonia loved it! I think she's got a new favorite. Actually, Gajeel and I enjoyed it too."

"Gajeel read it?" asked Lucy. "Is he here? Where is he? I didn't see him."

"He's at home, looking after Antonia," said Levy. "But that's just an excuse. We totally could have gotten a sitter. Actually, I think Gajeel's a little upset that you didn't give _him_ a role," said Levy, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to put him in my next story!" said Lucy.

Catching up with Levy had been fun, but it was it was important to mingle and chat with all of her guests. Lucy refilled her glass and made her way through the throngs of party goers.

She caught Erza's husband at one of the tables, munching on hors d'oeuvres and canapés. Better go over and say hello.

"Hey, Jellal. Glad you guys could make it," said Lucy.

"Congratulations," said Jellal stiffly.

"Thanks! Have you seen Erza?" she asked gesturing at the empty seat next to him.

"Ah, I think she may have stepped out with Natsu," he said. "Despite where _else_ you may think she may be," he muttered under his breath.

Lucy winced. He didn't seem too pleased. With his past, Jellal tended to be a bit sensitive about certain things. Maybe casting him as one of the villains had hit a nerve.

That was probably it. There wasn't any other part of the plotline that he could have found offensive, was there?

Oh, well. Offensive or not, it was too late to change it now. She'd have to be more considerate next time.

As Lucy left to rejoin the party, she passed by Wendy. Wendy was looking across the room, focused intently. It was almost as if she was watching someone.

"Hey, Wendy," said Lucy. "Enjoying the party?"

Wendy bobbed her head, giving a strained giggle. "Yeah. Sure…" Her eyes darted to the side again, and when Lucy followed the motion, she realized why Wendy was so nervous.

Across the room, Natsu and Erza were deep in discussion, probably something pertaining to another job for the team to take.

"Do you… do you think Natsu read your book?" asked Wendy.

"Natsu doesn't read much," Lucy assured her.

"Oh, good," Wendy breathed. "I didn't want him to get the wrong idea. Besides, he's more like a… like a big-brother… I guess."

"But I thought you said you like him?" said Lucy.

Wendy jolted, her shoulders tense. "Shh! You don't have to tell everyone!" she squeaked as she clapped her hands to her flushed cheeks.

"Wendy, if you need some help with him—"

"No, no… You've helped enough!" sputtered Wendy. "I don't need things to be any more awkward…"

"Seriously, Natsu pretty dense. He won't notice at all. So, I don't mind giving him a little nudge. Next time we all hang out, okay? I promise. Oh, look, there's Mira."

Satisfied that she'd put Wendy's mind at ease, Lucy went over to talk to Mirajane and Laxus.

"Loved your book. That was too cute!" chirped Mira. "You even gave a nod to my Satan Soul Takeover. That was so sweet of you."

"Aw, so glad you liked it," said Lucy.

"Speak for yourself, Mira," said Laxus, coming up behind her.

"It's just fiction, Lax," said Mira. "Who cares if she made you the evil prince? You're _my_ prince. And besides, I think evil-you is sorta sexy, you know?"

"It's not even that. At least she made you really cool. My character was a wuss. I mean, running from Gray? One-shotted by Natsu? Come on!"

"Lax, it's _fiction_…" repeated Mira.

"Yeah, I guess," grumbled Laxus. He folded his arms over his chest.

"Don't worry about him," said Mira. "It was a great book and we loved it and the twins will too!"

"Oh, no. Not happening," said Laxus. "Don't you dare try to read the boys _that_."

Mira just laughed. "See you later, Lucy," she said, before turning back to Laxus. "It's a fairy tale. They're meant to be fantasy."

"Yeah, but not like that," argued Laxus. "You in a nurse's outfit—that's fantasy. What this is, is—"

"Hey, Lucy! Can I talk to you for a sec?" asked Gray, pulling her aside.

"Where have you been?" asked Lucy.

"Rescuing Juvia from Lyon. Has he been over to say hi?" asked Gray.

Lucy shook her head. "I haven't seen him all night."

"I swear, he's ridiculous! He probably only came to make eyes at her."

"Doesn't he know that's a lost cause? Juvia's made that pretty clear," said Lucy.

"I thought that too," said Gray. "But apparently someone's a glutton for punishment. That, or he's too stupid to understand rejection. Get this. He's convinced that you're in full support of their 'relationship' because of your book."

"I, _what_?" said Lucy. "I didn't have a Juvia in _As You Wish_."

"He said that the mermaid/sea-goddess character was obviously Juvia. He 'ships it,' by the way," snorted Gray.

"What mermaid character? I don't remember writing this…" said Lucy.

"I don't think you did," said Gray. "People will see whatever they want to see."

"That's the risk of being a writer," said Lucy. "Anything you come up with gets twisted or misinterpreted into whatever the reader wants."

"Speaking of," said Gray. "Remember earlier when I asked if it was too late to change something?"

"Yeah? What about it?" she asked.

"Lucy, shall we rewrite the ending of your story?" asked Gray, sounding a little breathless.

"What? What are you talking about, Gray?" She could hear the summer cicadas as he pulled her outside the guild. The night air was chilly against her bare back.

"I know you were a little upset when I mentioned it earlier, but hear me out," said Gray. "What I was trying to get at was that I thought it was anticlimactic. The Gray in the story, fearless pirate captain, wouldn't have let it end the way it did."

"Oh, yeah? How would you have done it, Mr. Author?" said Lucy.

"Let me show you what I had in mind: _Your_ Gray would have gone down on one knee, like this." Gray knelt before Lucy, taking one of her hands in his.

Lucy's breath hitched in her chest. Was Gray doing what she thought he was doing?

"Then he'd say something witty. Nothing too romantic, 'cause that'd be out of character. Nah, he'd probably say something like, 'Lucy, you make me happier than any man deserves to be. You've given me at least two lifetimes of happiness in the time that we've spent together. But I never want to be apart from you again. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.' What do you think?" Gray reached into the pocket of his suit, revealing the ring that he had kept hidden away. It looked delicate pinched between his two fingers.

Lucy clamped her mouth shut, her free hand flying to her cover her mouth to muffle a giddy squeal.

"Um, Lucy…?" asked Gray, worry creeping into his expression.

She nodded furiously. "Yes," she whispered, her voice catching in her throat. "Yes, Gray. Yes!"

Gray grinned broadly, slipping the ring onto her finger before standing.

Lucy threw her arms around his neck, kissing him on the mouth.

"So, what'd you think?" he whispered huskily in her ear. "Minor revision?" He kissed her back.

"I guess it's not too late to change the dedication," she mumbled against his mouth.

"Works for me."

"I'll call them…" she said, breaking off with a gasp as Gray nipped her in sensitive spot at the side of her neck. "…First thing tomorrow morning."

"You might want to call them now to make sure it gets in there," Gray mumbled, his breath ghosting her skin. "Otherwise, I'll be immortalized in history as the turnip boyfriend."

Lucy paused, pulling back to looking at him.

"I mean, just think about it for a sec," said Gray.

Lucy pulled his face to hers. "Less talking, more kissing," she demanded, breathless. She pushed him back against the side of the guild hall.

"Yes, Milady. As you wish."

* * *

**That's the end... for real, this time! The whole time I worked on this fic, I kept wondering: what would the canon versions of these characters think of this? Obviously, even what I had here wasn't really canon, just by nature of it being a Graylu, but it was less unconventional than the rest of the story.  
**

**This was my first foray into Graylu, and i****t's been a total blast for me. I hope you enjoyed it too! Thanks for spending this time with me. I'm so grateful to have readers like you guys and it's made this story one of my favorites.  
**

**What's up next?**

**You guys weighed in and chose the next piece in the queue. Up next is _Toxic_, which is Snow White as a Nalu, with special guest costar Evil Queen Juvia. There's lots of romance, action and suspense. It's a Nalu, but there's plenty of Gray too. It's a little darker than this fic (I mean, the Evil Queen gets promoted from just being the villain to being a co-star), but if you don't mind that it's fun. I'm really happy with how it turned out. Check it out ****if you're interested - or you can follow my group (_R011ingThunder_) to make sure you won't miss an update. I'll try to get the first chapter up next week!**

**If you're more of a rare-pair romance lover, try my _Mazeverse_ series. It's a set of interconnected short stories with some what-ifs, theories, and observations and lots of weird ships. Our heroes still get a say, but they share the ****stage to some of the secondary characters as we try to shake things up. For those who occasionally like their pairs rare and served with a side of crazy, I'd be honored if you'd join me there!  
**

**Until next time! - Karine**


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